


Autumn Fires

by reinla



Category: Pitch Black (2000), The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:55:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 14
Words: 114,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23085850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reinla/pseuds/reinla
Summary: Autumn Fallon recently escaped from Butcher Bay, a slam she was born into. How’s she supposed to learn to adapt when the transport ship she stowed away upon, the Hunter-Gratzner goes down, and she has to learn to trust another convict?
Relationships: Richard B. Riddick/Original Female Character
Comments: 5
Kudos: 38





	1. New Adventures

_They say that everything happens for a reason. Whenever I find out who you are, you can bet that I will have a bit of a talking to._ This wasn’t supposed to happen, but I can’t say that I’m sorry it did. It was my chance to escape, to become someone else in a world, where no one knew me. It was the perfect chance to assume a new identity and possibly find peace with the animal that I was. Maybe no one would remember who I was. After all, both of my parents were dead. They weren’t strong enough to survive in the Butcher Bay.

Of course, the moment that I slipped away from the place that had been my home for the last twenty-five years was the moment that everything changed. I didn’t know what it was like to see the light, to see in a world that had color. All my life, I’d spent it locked away in the bowels of Butcher Bay, born there – a freak among freaks. My escape had been artful, they said. Only one other person had managed to slip out undetected as I did. I wasn’t going to take the compliment for anything but that. To be compared to him was an honor in and of itself. After all, he was the best of any of us.

Barely a month had passed since I escaped the darkly lit maze of corridors that made up most of Butcher Bay’s underbelly. I had managed to sneak my way onto a passing transport ship two planets over. A ship as large as the Hunter-Gratzner was easy enough to hide. Cryo containment was not much of a problem, either. I’d never been inside one of the little tubes but, seeing how everyone else was, I allowed myself to enter one. Of course, I should have thought about that more before I chose my pod.

Not being able to see colors hadn’t bothered me during my life; I could still mostly see shapes. It was when the lights got real bright that I had an issue, and, right now, the lights aboard the vessel were enough to make me cringe in pain. Why did it have to be so fucking bright? Slamming my eyes closed, I let my other senses take over. I received my ‘gift’ at such a young age. My other senses adapted, becoming enhanced beyond the norm; smelling and hearing were the two prominent ones. I could feel the people around me. To my immediate left, there was the smell of fabric, rich course material that spoke of a uniform of some kind – more than likely merc. The slight scent of medicine hit me hard, making me choke for a moment. To my immediate right, I could smell leather and sand mixed with a bit of sweat—prospectors more than likely.

The smell directly across from the merc was what grabbed my attention. I smelled survival, blood, and more than that. I smelled animal and home. I had never smelled anything like that before. It had me tilting my head up, afraid to look, but not so sure I wanted not to risk it. Slowly, as to avoid creating a headache because of the light, I opened my eyes and stared at the source of the smell. I could see him – large, muscular, and so, very very sexy. Chained into the cryo chamber was a beast of a man, one that was dangerous. If the words on his containment unit were anything to go by, we all should hope he doesn’t revive before the rest of us. Lockout protocol. No early release. As if the man should was an animal.

I knew that I was supposed to be asleep. This gunk the ship pumps into our veins is supposed to make us sleepy, but it doesn’t. Not on me. I was still wide awake when I got the impression that the other animal was as well. Something about the man seemed familiar, and I couldn’t place it. I wondered how much longer this trip would take. I had stowed away about halfway into the voyage, where they had stopped for extra food and supplies. Even so, it was supposed to be one very long trip.

Leaning back against the metal of my pod, all I could do was wait. It wasn’t like I could get any sleep, not with my animal so close to the surface. Waiting, it wouldn’t kill me, but it would give me a chance to formulate a plan – to come up with my next step when we landed wherever the hell it was the boat was supposed to land. Closing my eyes again, I let the smells and sounds wash over me as my brain tried to shut out the past. I was never supposed to make it here, hell I was never supposed to make it out of Butcher Bay, but I did.

This trip was going to take forever, or at least that’s what I kept telling myself. Maybe I was paranoid, but we’d already been twenty-two weeks out; twenty-two weeks without any deviation in our course. Something had to happen, right? It couldn’t be this easy to get away with what I had done, could it? Such were my thoughts as I was jolted forward into the pod. At first, I had been so lost in my memories of the past, that I had missed the sounds from outside the ship. I couldn’t exactly leave my pod to investigate, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t identify what happened. The navigator steered us on the wrong fucking course.

I could hear them, pelting the ship and battering the hull. Asteroids – some giant and others not so big. The big ones we didn’t have to fear. It was the little ones that would destroy us. Just as that though rationalized in my brain, I watched them speed through the metal and right into the path of the captain. The man never even stood a chance; no one would with such fast-moving debris. What I could see were the two remaining members of the crew fall out of their pods and try to re-orient themselves. What the hell was wrong with them? Why did it take them forever to figure out what was going to happen?

Voices penetrated through my brain, and I made sure to keep my eyes open. I couldn’t risk missing a single moment lest something vital happens that I need to recall later. What I could see where the two humans running for the stairs and trying to figure out the best course of action. It wasn’t easy, being able to hear both of them talking to each other from across the ship. That was before I heard and felt the purging of the back parts of the boat. Maybe it was just me, but it felt as if we were being forced towards the surface of the planet faster this way.

I couldn’t stay focused on much, not when so many sounds were running around through my ears, making it impossible to focus. I could hear the two arguings, Owens and Fry, as they chose to go by, trying to convince the other that they were right. We were going to crash, and there was nothing that any of us could do about it. I knew that freaking out wasn’t going to help me; it wasn’t going to help anyone. That wasn’t a thought I could dwell on for long. With the last bit of effort the ship had, my head slammed against the glass in front of me. I could feel it splinter and crack, bits of it lodging itself in my head. The last sound I heard before the pain swept me under was a growl coming from the unit across from me.

_They say most of your brain shuts down in cryo-sleep._

_All but the primitive side, the animal side. No wonder I’m still awake._

_Transportin’ me with civilians. Sounded like 40, 40-plus._

_I heard an Arab voice. Some hoodoo holy man, probably on his way to New Mecca. But what route? What route?_

_Smelt a woman. Sweat, boots, tool belt, leather. Prospector type. Free settlers. And they only take the back roads._

_‘Nother passenger boarded just before we went in the tubes. Smelled of death and flowers and somethin’ else. Somethin’ animal. Somethin’ mesmerizin’. Definitely somethin’ for me to find out more about._

_And here’s my real problem. Mr. Johns… the blue-eyed devil. Plannin’ on taking me back to the slam… only this time, he picked a ghost lane. A long time between stops. A long time for somethin’ to go wrong…_

Just because I had this damned horse bit in my mouth and a blindfold on didn’t mean shit. Johns was stupid thinkin’ that he could keep me chained to the wall like this, the first chance I got I’d be free of ’em, and then we’d see who’d be laughin’ in the end. I couldn’t help but take stock in the people around me, in the smells that filled the area. What intrigued me the most, though, were the sounds. From everywhere on the ship that was within the range I could hear the steady heartbeat of people asleep. The crap they stick through our veins in cryo doin’ what it was supposed to. One heartbeat, however, wasn’t beatin’ in the rhythm of sleep.

She probably thought I didn’t know she was there, or if the woman did, I doubt she cared. I could smell the animal in her, and mine responded in kind. It was demandin’ that I find a way out of this tube and closer to her. In all my years, I had never smelled anythin’ like her, and it fascinated me. I could hear her movin’ around, hearing the changes made as she shifted around in her pod to take in what was happenin’. We had a ways to go on this trip, and I could only hope that somethin’ would happen, somethin’ would give me the chance to get closer to her.

I had no idea I would get my wish. I had nothin’ to occupy my time with, and to be truthful, I was fuckin’ bored. Boredom for me was not somethin’ that should take lightly. I wished I didn’t have this damned blindfold on; I wanted to catch a glimpse of the bearer of that unusual scent, but time wasn’t on my side. Not if the sounds I was hearin’ comin’ through the hull were any indication. I was simply goin’ to bide my time, wait for the right time for things to happen. Gettin’ out of this tube was goin’ to be the natural part; gettin’ away from Johns’ was not as easy.

The plan had been simple as I heard the captain die, and listened to the two crew members scramble to stop us from crashin’. It was too late really; we were goin’ to land on that godforsaken planet, and they couldn’t do anythin’ to stop it. Instead, I would just bide my time, wait for my chance and see what happened. That was, until the last purge and the violent jerkin’ of the ship as it crashed into the dirt. I could smell blood as it seeped in around me, and it was the blood of the last person on the entire ship I wanted to see bleed. I couldn’t help the growl that tore from my throat as I heard her shift in her tube before the sounds of her unconscious breathin’ beat into my ears.

I had two choices. I could get out of this damn pod, hide and wait for Johns and hope he managed to find the girl. I could escape, free her, make sure she was alright and then disappear. Either option involved Johns still being alive, which if what the scents around me were sayin’, it was a definite possibility. Twisting to the right I quickly snapped the chains that were supposed to secure me against the wall. Too fuckin’ easy. Gettin’ sloppy there Johns. With my hands mostly free, I manage to punch through the glass. Breakin’ it, and releasin’ the pod from the outside.  
Before I could think about my actions, I found myself rippin’ open the cryotube of the young woman and findin’ a way to break her out. I still couldn’t see, and these chains around my hands made it hard to do much of anythin’. Usin’ the slit I managed to make in my blindfold; I chanced a glance at the woman before skitterin’ up to the hidin’ spot I’d found and wait for the merc. He’d wake soon enough, and the real fun would begin. At least from here, I could see the mystery woman and tell that she was breathin’ fine. From my quick assessment of her, she didn’t seem to have any life threatenin’ injuries so I could leave her be, for now.


	2. Awakening

I don’t remember when my first conscious thought was, but I know it wasn’t anything like ‘momma’ or some such nonsense. Not in here. I shouldn’t even be alive, but when I didn’t just croak as a baby when I survived healthy despite the abhorrent conditions of the slam that I was in, the guards thought better of trying to off me. I was another payday, at least when I got old enough. It wasn’t hard to forge documentation, to make the world think I was just some convicted murderer. The guards were smart enough for that, so they raised me as best they could until I would be old enough to do them favors.

I think my first vivid memory was when I was eight. That was the first time someone even bothered to address me by a name. Before then, I was just ‘hey girl’ or ‘you little brat.’ Nothing of significance. My mother was dead, and no one knew who my father was or how my mother ended up in this particular slam. The rumor, of course, was that my father was also dead. It was one of the guards who named me, decided that they would call me Autumn because my hair reminded them of the colors of changing leaves back on their home planet. Something about them having a fall season where the green leaves turned reds and browns before falling. I remember feeling rather impressed by the name, moved even. No one had bothered to make me feel important enough to have a name.

After that moment, I was supposed to do everything the guards wanted, even if I didn’t want to. Some of the other convicts understood my dilemma. I had no family, save for one older man who was close to dying. He was the only real father figure I had. Maybe that was my problem. I let the convicts raise me and threw caution to the wind in regards to defying the guards. It wasn’t exactly the smartest plan, not for a little kid. What was I supposed to do? I was in the bowels of Butcher Bay, a triple max slam that didn’t let any of us see daylight. I was used to the winding tunnels and the sounds that lurked in the darkness. I had become familiar with the area, and it was my companion in the years.

One of the first things that anyone learns in a slam is that you have to survive. The weakest are always picked off and done away. It’s not like the guards cared any. For them, we were just paychecks and, unless someone audited the books, they still got paid. I was one of the lucky few; Matlock, the older man that decided I was worth his time, was one of the few convicts that had smarts. He was the only one I remember speaking correctly, and he always forced me to act like the lady he knew I’d become one day. Around him, I had to talk correctly, walk correctly. There was a method to this, though. He hoped that if I ever found a way out of the slam, I could blend in, could become some decent lady, and hide my heritage. He was mostly right.

I know you are probably asking yourself why everyone thought I was weak. If I grew up in the slam, wouldn’t I be more robust? Well, you’d be right on more than one account. The guards protected me until I was ten, but then I got the notion that I didn’t have actually to do a damned thing they said. They didn’t take too kindly to that. Anyone could and would punish if they thought they could get away with it. What do they do to a ten-year-old kid that doesn’t understand the hierarchy in their world? Something that no living human should ever have to suffer through. Then again, I probably deserved it. I was the youngest person in there, and I’d already killed three of the guards. It would be at least another month before replacements could were obtained. No one liked a killer.

You see, there’s a ‘doctor’ here in the Bay. One that specializes in making people have these fancy eyes. He calls it a ‘shine.’ As a kid, I’d heard of people trying to get one, but no one has ever really been able to survive the pain of a full shine, well no one but one person. Riddick had always been the talk of the Bay; even the convicts knew who he was. We got a little bit of news filtered down through the guards when they were too lazy to keep their shop talk away from us. Of course, it wasn’t all that unknown that he’d been here in the Bay either. The only person to escape and the only person to survive a full shine, until me.

At ten, one doesn’t even understand the concept of that much pain. How can we? Our brains aren’t fully developed into adulthood, and we can only comprehend certain things. Yet I knew the moment they strapped me down that pain was going to come. I couldn’t help it; I was terrified. Pope Joe didn’t seem all too keen on trying it with a child, especially a female, but he left with little choice. It was shining my eyes or die, and even now, I don’t hate him for his self-preservation. It’s rule number one in the slam. Always look out for yourself. There is no other way about it.

Truth be told, I don’t remember much about the procedure itself. I just remember the pain and wishing for death. It rarely worked that anyone survived even a quarter of the pain. If you did manage that, the chances of being permanently blind were astronomical. In the back of my mind, I remember scolding myself for being stupid and telling myself that if the legendary Riddick could survive this, then I could too. Not that I’d ever met the man or even really knew what his appearance was. They kept me away from anyone that might know anything about the dangerous convict. No, I only had stories to occupy my time.

When the pain ended, I wasn’t even sure I was still alive. Pope Joe sounded so very far away, and my mind was rebelling at wanting to respond. I was alive, but could I see? Slowly I opened my eyes, the world bathed in a purple hue. I could see shapes and images but nothing substantial yet. It was painful, but I had managed to make it. The lights of the ‘operating’ room had been dimmed low as to avoid any adverse reactions from me. I still remember the silent tears in the eyes of Pope Joe for what he had done.

After that incident, the guards were afraid. I could see, as long as I had something covering my eyes from the bright lights. I was dangerous. They tried to purposely keep me in areas too bright for my vision to work, but Matlock always found a way to foil their plans. I told you the older man had a soft spot for me. I guess it was because he used to be a teacher before his imprisonment. He enjoyed the time he got to spend fostering my mind. I was a challenge to him. A child that had grown up in the slam knew the tricks to survive, could take down grown men without batting an eyelash, and still sound like a proper young woman.

It had become apparent as the years went on that I was one of those convicts that people thought best to avoid. Matlock died when I was seventeen. Old enough to be my own woman but still trapped inside the damned slam. Escape hadn’t even fostered in my brain, because just like everyone else, I am doomed. That was until I found the letter. I could read, and I could write, had to if I wanted any chance of making it on the outside. Matlock had drafted it for me right before he died. He saw the end coming and tried to give me one final bit of advice. I still remember the words as if they were burned into my heart and my head directly.

_Autumn, dear child._

_It’s not always easy to lose someone we care about, and it’s ok to mourn. Don’t do it for too long, though. Our world doesn’t show kindness to that kind of emotion. I wish that I could be there for you today, to wish you a happy seventeenth birthday, but I’m not. I saw this coming even before you were born, that my time would one day be up. You don’t spend your whole life in a slam and not see things like this coming._

_I want you to promise me, something, child. No matter what, you will find a way out. If you are old enough, then I want you to try to make a life outside of the Bay. There’s been one person who escaped and you may be the next as well. Trust in yourself, in that strength that you had when you were ten years old, strapped down to the Pope’s chair. Trust the animal I’ve fostered inside of you. The animal that won’t let you take shit from anyone, including the guards. Trust in it, and let it tell you when the right time is to make a move._

_You are one of the most deadly and beautiful women I have had the pleasure of knowing in all my years. Take heed, dear child, for I fear that your fate will bring you into the grips of someone who will be your next mentor, your lover, your mate. Someone that will help you find the answers that I know burn deep within your heart._

_Above all things, you must find a way out of the Bay. Do it for the old man who wants nothing more than his daughter to be happy. For you are the daughter, I never got to have._

I started my plans then. Escaping wasn’t going to be easy; it never is. The timing had to be perfect, and even then, there would always be a hitch in the plan. I’d spent far too much time learning how to solve the various puzzles thrown at me to be trapped and caged here like some animal, regardless of whether I was that animal or not. Of course, I never expected escape to be that easy.

It took me years to map out the exact plan, but on the eve of my twenty-fifth birthday, the idea came together. Over the last year or so, the guards stopped being replaced. Our head jailer informed that he would just have to learn to use the guards, dead or not. They were tired of him not being able to quiet one rebellious woman, especially a woman that, by all accounts, didn’t exist. The plan had been simple enough. There was a ‘night’ that adhered too. Everyone was supposed to be in their sleeping quarters by the sixth whistle when the guards came to check. Anyone not following the rules was subject to whatever amusing games the poachers could think.

I would, of course, be gone by then. I had found a shaft in one of the old mining routes about six weeks earlier. No one tried to venture into it because it looked as if it could fall at any moment. If they were going to die, it wasn’t going to be in a tunnel collapse. It gave me free rein to explore. What I discovered was a long-abandoned and previously unknown exit. It looked as if the miners had cut the shaft as a backup escape route but never really used it. Using materials that I had scrounged up around the Bay, I made a likable resemblance to myself that stayed in my little cave. My decoy would keep the guards distracted enough that they couldn't figure out what I was up to, I hoped until it was too late. It wasn’t really like they could sound an alarm. A convict that they failed to report had escaped a triple max slam under their watch? I could see that going over real well.

I had followed the last instructions that Matlock had given me, let my animal out, and let her lead me. The escape had been a cakewalk. No one expected a convict to escape, twice, so they relaxed any external patrols. Why should they bother? Most assumed that if someone did manage to escape, they wouldn’t make it off-world, and they surely wouldn’t find a ship. Not when the slam wasn’t expecting another big payday to come in. No, they didn’t expect me to have anything worked out. Outside, I breathed my first taste of free air, and I almost stopped in my tracks. New sights and smells assaulted me, and I couldn’t help it. The situation was going to be too much. I had managed, at one point, to negotiate some shade-like goggles that I could wear on my face to protect my sensitive eyes, but even then, it was still far too bright outside. With my vision impaired since I was a child, I had learned to adjust to smells and sounds.

I couldn’t linger here, not like this. I needed to get moving, and moving I did. What no one understood was that not every planet that housed a slam was lacking actual civilization. Most had some, even if it was in the remote areas. As long as the prison stayed far enough away that the residents never saw the convicts, then things were beautiful. I, however, had overheard one too many conversations as a child. I knew this planet had a small city with a space dock.

Running at the highest speed I could muster, given all the new scents assaulting me, I managed to sneak into town and avoid getting caught. I looked like a convict: dirty, smelly, and dangerous. I had to ditch that look, or else this would end far sooner than it should. The buildings around me were ratty, but they would hold, and I was looking for one that was unlocked. People, when they didn’t think they would ever be in danger, were stupid. It only took me two tries to find one that was unlocked, and I slipped inside. I couldn’t hear anyone moving, nor the sounds of breathing or heartbeats. It was empty. Slowly I walked around, trying to remain as silent as I could. I needed to see what this place offered in the way of exchange.

My silver-shined eyes made things a little more challenging to see. I could see the dark colors: black, brown, and the like. Those were easy enough to detect. I liked those colors. As I looked around the tiny little home, I noticed a few bits of tech that I wasn’t even sure I knew how to use lying around. I’d heard talk of them, but that didn’t mean I knew how they worked. Looking around, I found a manual laying around for this ‘washing’ unit. It wasn’t all that hard to understand, and as I noticed that the woman of the house didn’t have anything to my liking, I decided to wash my clothes. Stripping out of the dirty, smelly garments, I tossed them in and set them to clean.

Back in the slam, we had running water but not much of it. You could shower, but it was best you did so with your clothes. You never knew who was going to join you and what might happen if they did. Here, though, while it was empty, I was sure I could bathe alone. Slipping into the shower unit, I blasted the hot water and sighed with relief. Hot water wasn’t that bad; it was something I was used to, but this felt divine. It was like a new me was slowly starting to emerge. Even the animal inside of me purred at the feeling.

Soaping and scrubbing off all the dirt and grime, I washed my hair at least four times, and when the water finally ran clear turned off the faucets. Using the oversized towels that were near the shower, I stepped into one and thought. I couldn’t stay here long; I would need clean clothes and a few rations that could tide me over until I could get aboard a ship. Any ship would do, so long as it got me off this planet.

When I was sure that my clothing was as washed and as dried. I prowled around the kitchen and stole as much of the rations and food as I could find. I even managed to snag two water bottles, filling them to the brim and watching as the lid secured them so not even a drop would spill. There wasn’t much else that was lying around except a few UD’s that might buy me passage if I needed it. With the persons appropriated items, I left the house and made a mad dash to the space dock. I wouldn’t doubt that the guards would be figuring out that I was no longer there. I couldn’t afford to waste any more time.

With my vision being what it was I managed to sneak into the shadowy area of the dock and wait. There was a ship about to take off; I could tell as I watched the crew start to pack up the last of the crates. Peering inside one, I noticed it was nothing but fabric. I could sneak in there and hide until the right time. Not knowing how to fly kept me at a disadvantage, but not having anyone know about my existence was a good thing. With the lid of the crate secured over my head, I felt at home at once. The darkness was familiar, and it was home.

I shoved on board the ship, but I had no idea what the destination was. In all honesty, I shouldn’t have been surprised that we only went two planets over. This particular one was a significant spaceport and often saw all kinds of travel. I could sneak out, and I did. There were ships everywhere, and I let my animal guide me. Something about this one ship seemed to draw me in. It was huge, definitely a civilian transport ship. It wouldn’t be too hard to sneak onboard, at least, that was the plan.

_Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out._

Slowly I could feel the darkness receding from around me. My head felt like it had trampled upon,, but there wasn’t anything I could do about that right now. I needed to take stock of my surroundings and figure out what happened. The last thing I remembered was being in the cryo onboard the Hunter-Gratzner and then thinking that I heard the convict growl. That part very well could have been my imagination.

Reaching up, I slowly felt my face, my goggles still in place as I moved to stand. Groaning out in pain as my muscles ached, I had no idea if I’d draw attention. I was awake that much I could discern. Sulfur, gypsum, and other minerals rose in the air around me. There was also this faint odor of blood and a smell of something dark. Darker than the convict that they had tried to bar everyone from before.

Voices were starting to make sense as I heard one that sounded definitively female and one male. The accent wasn’t one I was familiar with, and because of that, I couldn’t decide if they were friends or foe. I was going to have to trust my animal, for now, and my other senses. They sounded close, close enough that I was snapped back into reality as the piece of metal that covered me was moved. I couldn’t see yet, the brightness still making it hard to focus as the two people started asking me questions at random.

One of them – the male – slowly started to come into view, his blonde hair covering his face and his voice carrying a drawl. He was right in my face, and I could see a smirk color his features as he spoke.

“You alright there, doll? It looks like you took quite a spill.”

I didn’t like the way he was staring at me, as if I was prey. Reacting on instinct, I let my fist connect with his nose. The sickening crunch would have been satisfying if I wasn’t sure he was going to retaliate. Instead, the woman’s voice I heard reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me from the hole. She didn’t look like a threat, but still, I didn’t like to be touched all that much, not by strangers.

With my body clear of the debris, I could finally force my gaze to focus, even behind the goggles. I wished in a way that they were darker, that they let less light filter through because this was going only to make my headache worse.

“What happened?” I asked gently, letting the air fill my lungs even though it wasn’t enough. I needed to try to get some sense of what happened, some feeling that things might be ok. I was avoiding hearing the scuffle, the sound of someone choking, a body falling, and chains being re-tied. I knew what happened. That convict had tried to take a shot at the merc and failed. Now he has chained the man up again, something I’d have to address at a later time. For now, I needed to know where we were and to stand up finally.

The woman, who identified herself as Shazza, helped me into a standing position and walked me out of the wreck. They wanted the light to see my injuries, and I could see Johns glare at me as we moved. There was a look in his eye that told me I was hounded a whole lot more until this was over. That was something I couldn’t tolerate. With a small limp, I moved out with Shazza towards the others.

Outside, the sky was bright, and the sand beneath my feet made me want to growl. I didn’t need to be on a desert planet. I needed someplace dark, at least until the headache went away. It wasn’t something I was used to, the brightness makes me want to recoil. Yet out here, I couldn’t escape. The remaining survivors surrounded me as they crowded around me. Introductions made, and I learned that the man that I hit was a ‘cop’, and his name was Johns. My merc senses were screaming around him, a skill I’d picked up in the Bay. He wasn’t a cop, and I would be damned if he would lead this group.

I learned the rest of the names. Zeke, the husband of the woman, who had helped me out of the crash, was boisterous and seemed like the sort I’d like to get to know. Paris was whiney and made me want to punch him in the face. I couldn’t stand people like that. There was Carolyn Fry – the pilot of the crashed ship and the only surviving crew member. An Arab man who eyed me with suspicion but didn’t set my animal off into the protective mode. He was with three kids, on some sort of pilgrimage or something. The one that caught my attention the most was the girl, Jack. I’d seen plenty of kids her age come into the slam, pretending to be boys in hopes that they wouldn’t be hurt. They usually were dead before the others could learn that they weren’t male. Her I would protect. I could see a kinship with her, and my animal snarled at the thought that something might happen. It was Shazza that spoke again, and I couldn’t hide my answer.

“What’s your name, hun?”

“Autumn.”

With the introductions made, we all took a moment to assess the situation around us. I could see the remnants of the wreckage and knew that I was lucky enough to survive. The longer I stood out here, the less I could remember. I knew the ship hit something; I heard the sounds and then the darkness. There was still the growl I needed to justify in my mind, and I couldn’t help it. I wanted to get close enough to figure out what the fuss was about with this convict.

When no one was looking, I moved towards the ship, letting my ears guide me as I overheard Johns and Carolyn talking. What they said made me want to roll my eyes. If they only knew he wasn’t the only one like that on the ship.

“He just escaped a maximum-security prison.”

“Should he just stay locked up forever?”

“That would be my choice.”

“Is he that dangerous?”

“Only around humans.”

I have to admit; I was intrigued. There were rumors of a man that fit the criteria that Johns was spouting. Only one other convict was known for his escape. They must have captured the one and only Richard B. Riddick. Oh, this was going to be so much fucking fun. I couldn’t wait to set my eyes upon the convict. Still, I needed to wait to make sure that Johns was gone before I made my move.

When he and Fry moved off, I entered the ship. I realized that I wasn’t going in any particular direction. My animal had long since taken over, and she was leading me. I could smell him then, the musk of male, the scent of a predator, the smell of an alpha male. Letting my eyes gaze upon the man, I sighed softly. He was everything I’d heard he was and more. His tall, muscular frame forced to sit against one of the ribs of the ship, his hands cuffed and straining behind his back. I could see that his eyes were blindfolded, and I wondered if it was more to make the merc think he was safe rather than an actual deterrent. If he couldn’t see, then he wasn’t such a threat, right? There was this strange device in his mouth. I had no idea what it was, but it didn’t look comfortable.

I took one step close to him, and his head jerked in my direction. Oh, that couldn’t be good, could it? I watched as his nostrils flared as if taking in my scent, and it made the animal inside of me swoon, ever so slightly. I wanted to know why they had chained this beautiful creature up, why they were treating him that bad. He was only someone out to survive and survive the only way that he knew how. I couldn’t get all that close, too afraid of my new environment, and not knowing if the other convict would even be friendly. Instead, I just stood in the doorway and spoke softly to him.

“You are a rather beautiful specimen, Mr. Riddick, but the chains, they don’t do you any justice. Though I would imagine you already know about the little gap just there, above you in the pillar. It shouldn’t be too hard for someone like you to get out of here. Find me when you’ve got the chains off.”

Moving away from the spot, I spun on my heels and headed out to see if Shazza or the others needed my help.

Waitin’ is always the hardest part. Just sittin’ there waitin’ for the damn merc to show up – Johns, the proverbial thorn in my side ever since I could remember. I didn’ have to wait long for the blonde to come strollin’ through this area of the ship. I knew what he was after, but it was time for me to have a little bit of fun. The girl, she was sleepin’, would probably wake soon. The hit to the head wasn’t all that strong, but it would keep her occupied for a bit.

I could sense her rousin’, wakin’, and it made my animal nervous. I wanted to get Johns out of the picture and away from her before he could figure out that she was there. Didn’ help much that I still had this bit and blindfold. Didn’ mean I couldn’t hear him though. Usin’ the chains that I had free, I wrapped them around the neck of the merc. I was trying to kill ‘im, but it wouldn’t work. He managed to hit me in the groin with his stick, a shot that would take any man out. Goin’ down, I knew I had to let him win this round. It was our game, this cat and mouse, but in the end, I’d be the one grinnin’ as he bled out on the sand.

Back in the chains, my arms were painfully behind me, but it wasn’t anythin’ I wasn’t familair with. I could deal with this, for now, until a better plan came along. At least that had been what I was thinkin’ till I heard the voices. As if Johns didn’t know that I was listenin’. I wanted to laugh as he tried to scare the captain into thinkin’ that I would just kill them all at random. As if the only person in my way right now was the damned blue-eyed devil.

My thoughts were interrupted by that scent again. The one from the girl the mystery. She smelled like an animal, like my animal, and that wasn’t somethin’ I was felt often. She had to be a killer, someone that let their beast out to play, but I couldn’t tell yet just how much of it. Oh, she had a story, I’m sure, one I couldn’t wait to find out. There was another scent mixed in with her regular one – fear. Not of me, but the situation. Fear of the unknown it seemed, something to ponder at least.

I knew that turnin’ my head towards her would frighten her. Make her all jumpy and give me a chance to catch her unguarded. I wish I could see her again, but the slit in my blindfold prevented that. For now, I’d just have to amuse myself and my beast with tryin’ to figure out her smell. That was until she spoke.

_Bitch has balls; I gotta give her that. The other’s – they’re too afraid to talk to me like that, but she ain’t. Makes me wonder where it comes. The smell, it screams animal and killer, but the words. Words. They make her sound educated, proper. Not somethin’ convicts are known. I smell the slam on her, but it was just a faint scent. Oh yes, I have to find out more about this woman._

I heard her words and almost snorted. Been a long time since anyone called me ‘Mr.’ Mostly it was just Riddick or various other pet names the mercs wanted to come up with for their payday. Her clue, though, tellin’ me about the gap. That was what drew me. I woulda eventually figured it out on my own, but knowin’ that I have someone lookin’ out for me, that’s the part that’s hard to understand.

All too soon, her scent faded away, and I knew that I’d follow through on that last part. I’d get out of these damn chains, and I’d track her down. What I’d do with her then, well, that was just somethin’ for me to figure out later. Right now, I needed to work on my escape. For now, I needed to focus on me.


	3. Plans

Even now, I could barely believe the words I had said to the convict. Maybe it was because we had so much in common, or perhaps it was only because, out of everyone here, Riddick posed the least threat to me. Whatever the truth of the matter was, I had issued the challenge. Things like that didn’t go unchecked in our world. If someone threw down the gauntlet, we picked it up and ran with it. I fully expected to be seeing him out of those chains soon enough. If my hearing was any indication, he had already started to break free of the restraints.

Really, any merc that didn’t bother to check and make sure there was absolutely no way for a convict to escape was one that deserved to die. From what the rumors said about the giant of a man, he was rather industrious and found a way to escape from the moment he was thrust into the situation. Shaking my head, I knew that I needed to put some distance between myself and the convict before Johns got suspicious.

Outside, the others were trying to decide what the next best course of action would be. We needed to search for water – to see if we could find anything that would help us survive even if it was old and near expiration. Letting my eyes roam around me, I noticed that Shazza and Zeke had been busy. Apparently, they had managed to salvage parts from the ship and were making what looked like breathing apparatuses for everyone. As I tried to take a breath, burning my lungs and screaming from the lack of oxygen, I knew we would need them.

With goggle-covered eyes, I tried to figure out where I would be of most use. The others, they didn’t know that I knew how to take care of myself; they probably didn’t even know I was a convict. My goggles weren’t questioned all that much, at least not yet, and I didn’t really want to push the issue. If they asked, I, of course, had a story prepared. Well, not really made but one that I was starting to work on. If I could convince them that I was from a mostly dark planet, maybe they wouldn’t think anything about it.

With a soft sigh, I flipped a small part of my hair over my shoulders and cast my gaze across the barren land. Before I could approach anyone about where they might need my help, I saw Johns running from the ship, and I couldn’t contain the giggle. I knew that Riddick would escape eventually, and I had money on him staying out of the chains, well at least for a little while. The only way he could get Johns to let him stay out there was to either kill the merc or convince him that he wasn’t the most dangerous thing around.

If my hearing were correct, then that wouldn’t be hard to prove. I could hear the sounds of thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands, of creatures walking through the underground caves. The darkness, it called to me – sang through my veins and made me want to bask in it. I had to shove that feeling down. I couldn’t let them know that my animal wanted to come out and play.

As the others approached, I tried to fight the noise that rose up around me. Something was coming, and it was only a matter of time. I could see Johns freaking out as I listened to the words around me. Apparently, his prisoner escaped, and he wanted us to be prepared. It was stupid, really. Riddick didn’t have any reason to hurt anyone, except maybe Johns. As long as we didn’t try to kill him, he wouldn’t try to kill us. I could hear the men talking, watching as Johns handed Zeke a gun.

“This is stupid, you know that. If Riddick really wanted to kill us, then we would already be dead. He just wants to be free and off this planet like the rest of us. Hunting him down like some animal won’t help make him any less hostile to you, Johns.” I managed to say to the Merc before Shazza handed me a breather.

I caught a glare that was meant to tell me to shut up before he hurt me, but all I could do was give a smirk. I knew he wasn’t really who he said he was, and now was not the time for him to suspect that. Not until I was ready for him to know.

Two groups were formed. Zeke, Shazza, Jack, and Paris were going to stay back and try to bury the crew and passengers that they could find. No one wanted to leave the bodies just lying around. It was inhumane. Fry, after having asked that they bury her crewies, started to walk off in the direction of Johns. I needed to figure out which one of the two groups was the best suited for me. If I stayed, I’d have to help lug bodies, but if I went with the other group, I’d have to put up with Johns.

The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea of going off with the merc. That would give me a chance to get closer to the convict – to see him without the chains and the bit. A small smile graced my face at the thought, and I could see Johns’ watching me with a scowl. I knew he was trying to figure out who I was and how dangerous I was.

Moving closer to the group, I noticed what some of the others had. Three suns. One blue and that one was just starting to rise up the horizon. I knew that the others were hoping for the night for a reprieve from the heat of this planet, but they weren’t going to get it. With three suns, it was almost sure that there wouldn’t be nightfall.

“Three suns?” I heard Jack ask. I couldn’t help but notice a hint of fear in her words. Something had spooked the girl onto the ship. Forced her to act like a boy, and now she was crashed here with us. I wanted to comfort her, but I had no idea how or where to begin.

“So much for nightfall.”

“So much for my cocktail hour.” Paris was such a whiney man. If he hadn’t had the booze that he had ‘shared,’ I might have already put him out of our misery.

I heard Imam’s voice and almost snorted. He was so sure that his ‘religion’ would be what kept him and his boys safe on this journey. I wanted to strangle him some, but on the other hand, I could understand having belief. Not necessarily religion… but belief. Growing up in the slam, you learn to believe that unless you are the strongest and most dangerous, you don’t stand a chance...

“We take this as a good sign – a path, a direction from Allah. Blue sun, blue water.”

“That’s a bad sign. That’s Riddick’s direction.” the merc called out to us.

Fry, showing that she was attempting to be somewhat smart, thought she needed to comment. “I thought you found his restraints over there, towards sunset.”

“Right. Which means he went towards sunrise.”

I just stood back and watched them. Johns didn’t strike me as the idiotic type, but the fact he seemed to pick and choose when he threw out information about Riddick bothered me. Honestly, these people didn’t need to be afraid of him, they needed to be fearful of the things that lived on this planet. I could feel them under my feet, my animal wanting to steer as clear of them as possible. My animal had never let me down before.

When the group set off, I left with them. We trekked over the desert towards the blue star. My feet traveled across the sand and dirt, and I knew that they couldn’t really hear me. Everyone around me walked as if they were trying to stomp through a jungle. None of them would stand a chance of sneaking up on Riddick or even myself. Still, I couldn’t begrudge most of them for this. They hadn’t had to learn how to be quiet, how to use stealth to their advantage.

Trying not to worry over the gun that Johns insisted he carry, I let myself wander. We were heading in some direction, and I only hoped that for everyone’s sake, it turned out to be a fruitful search. It would do us no good if we couldn’t find at least some semblance of water or shelter. There was only so long that any of us would last out here in these conditions. With each step, I could feel my mind wander back to the slam, back to the heat and the darkness.

The sound of voices calling drew me out of myself as I saw them running. If I could hear them correctly, they thought they spotted trees. Why would there be trees on a desert planet? It made no sense, but I couldn’t be sure until I headed in that direction. From here, it looked like something other than trees, but I doubted any of them had any of the same senses I had. Moving up to join the other group, I stared at the bones. So many magnificent animals, dead. Their bones scattered around in a graveyard of sorts, bleached white by the sun and the sounds of the wind, making them seem like they were moaning.

I stopped. Something killed these things and that something, I was sure, was right below my feet. I wanted to get closer to see if I could find anything or sense anything that might give me a clue as to what happened. Fry’s voice broke me out of my reverie.

“Is this whole planet dead?”

“Only on the surface. Something killed all of these creatures, and I fear that something isn’t gone.” I said quietly. I could feel the eyes bore into me, watching me as I moved a little closer to the edge. The animal inside of me wanted to know just how dangerous these creatures could be. If they did this to these vast animals, then they were something to study, and maybe, be afraid of. Fear, it was something that we learned to deal with in the slam, and the prospect of death didn’t scare me.

Each of us moved closer to the boneyard, and my thoughts were echoed by Imam’s words. “A communal graveyard of sorts– like the elephants of old earth.”

I wanted to study them. I couldn’t help but reach my hand out and touch the closest bone to me. If you looked close enough, you would see what I did: teeth marks. Something with razor-sharp little teeth attacked them. Some of the bones looked broken – jagged remains that spoke of some type of trauma before their horrific deaths. I was glad for a moment that no one was really paying me any attention.

Moving deeper inside one of the skulls, I let my hands graze the bones. I could hear their ‘music’ on the wind, and it filled me with a haunting melody. I was zoning out, trying to gather my thoughts, to put together a plan. If the sounds I heard back near the ship was the indication of how many of these creatures there were, I was more than sure I didn’t want to be around when they came back out to play.

Shadows surrounded me as I moved deeper, my head moving to and fro as I tried to steer clear from the other survivors. Johns came into my line of sight, and I watched him as he prodded into the shadows with his gun. As if Riddick would be stupid enough to be sitting there within reach of the muzzle. This merc was starting to get on my nerves. Before I could fight it, a small growl escaped my lips. It was low enough that I knew the blonde wouldn’t hear it, but one that made me feel better nonetheless. If the resulting chuckle was real, then apparently, the convict agreed with whatever I was thinking.

As soon as Johns left, I turned my back on the area that he had been in, moving further into shadows. I didn’t notice Riddick slip out of one of the sinus cavities, nor did I see him slip behind me. It wasn’t until I felt spun around and lifted up that I even realized what situation I was in. He was right, I had to give him that. Good enough that he can sneak up on me in the dark and not set my animal into defensive mode.

Watching through goggled eyes, I tried to figure out what the convict was up to. I wanted to be able to read the mind of Riddick, but then that might be more trouble than it was worth. With my back pressed against one of the larger and flatter bones of the creature, my legs dangling off the ground as Riddick had literally picked me up by the crotch. He moved me up to eye level, and I couldn’t do much. In a situation like this, in the slam, I would be kicking and screaming. Trying to find any way to break free but here… in the arms of this man, I didn’t want to do either. It was something to contemplate, at least.

I was trying to figure out this situation, as his actions snapped me out of my thoughts. He was leaning near me, his nose just centimeters from my skin. I could hear him inhale as if savoring my scent. My hands, strangely enough, were free, and I took my chance. Running my fingers against the skin I could find, I tried to keep the animal inside of me from moaning out. I had never been around such an alpha male before, someone that commanded surrender from the creature inside of me.

Yet I wanted to fight it. I didn’t wish to have Riddick to win so easily. I knew, on some level, that Riddick wasn’t going to let me go. Not if his next actions were any indication. He was sniffing my hair, but then I could feel his lips and tongue against my skin. It was feather-soft kisses, teasing me, making me writhe just a tiny bit on his arms. A sudden purring sound started from inside of me, and the convict pulled back. Looking up into his goggle-covered eyes, I wanted to see what his eyes were telling me.

“You smell like me. Interestin’.”

His voice made me jerk back, and I honestly thought about telling him to take me then. His voice; it sent shivers down my spine, but now wasn’t the time to act on those feelings. Letting my goggled-eyes stare into his own, I knew I needed to say something.

“You smell like me, animal and power. It’s intoxicating. Don’t think you’ve won this round, Riddick because I can take you out if I need to.” My voice was harsh, but fighting back the lust that was coursing through my veins. I knew he wasn’t going to believe me – that he could probably scent my arousal in the air. He turned me on like nothing ever had, and I needed time to evaluate the situation.

He dropped me, let me fall to the ground, and at that action, I heard him chuckle. Dark and deep, as if he thought he could intimidate me. Seemed like the convict needed a lesson in why not to fuck with me. Standing as quickly as I could, I made the first move. I ran at the man, my aim to tackle him to the ground but he saw it coming. My inner beast was in the mood for a little violence, and I let her out and play.

He wanted to think that he was better; I would show him. Of course, I was wrong in the end. The fight, while lasting no longer than five minutes, was full-out violent. Fists flew, bodies dodged, but in the end, I was on my back. With the convict laying over me and a shiv to my throat, I saw him tap it gently against my neck as if he expected me to tap out. He had another thing coming. Gently against his back, right in the ‘sweet spot,’ I tapped my shiv. We would call this round a draw. He could try to kill me, but I would do some damage to him before I bled out.

I watched as he moved off of me and held out his hand. Taking it, I allowed the convict to pull me up and into his arms, where he scented me again. This was turning out to be much more interesting than studying some old bones. My thoughts were broken by the sound of Johns calling my name. With a sigh, I moved away from Riddick and back into the shadows. For now.

I wanted the merc to think that I hadn’t heard him yet. Making him wait was the only thing that would do that. Instead, I let my gaze stay on the convict in front of me, and I watched as he prowled through the shadows. He drew close to a figure, and that’s when I saw her. Fry. She was sitting there by one of the bones fiddling with her breather. Johns approached her, and I wanted to know what they were talking about. Those two had far too many private conversations than the rest of us, and it wasn’t a good thing.

Moving closer, I let my ears pick up the sounds of the conversation. I watched as Johns offered Fry something to drink, and I knew it was the alcohol they filched from Paris.

“Probably shouldn’t. Dehydrates you even more.”

“Probably right.”

Their conversation was boring. I wanted to hear the good stuff, the things that told me what I needed to use as blackmail for later. Neither of the blondes was innocent in this situation; I got the strange feeling that Fry was partly at fault for all the damage done to the shop, and I knew that the merc would kill us all if he thought we would stop him from trying to collect a payday on Riddick. Still, I stayed close enough to hear the rest of their conversation.

“Because if we don’t find water… we might not make it back.”

“No, no, I wanted to get away.”

“So, I noticed. Never seen a captain quite so ready to leave her ship.”

At that remark, I wanted to snort. Carolyn wasn't a real captain. If she had been, then none of us would have ever been purged from the ship in the first place. There would have been calmer heads prevailing in the threat of death. No, Fry was anything but the captain.

“Better keep moving…”

“What’d Owens mean? ‘Bout not touching the handle. It’s ok, Carolyn, you can tell me.”

“Promise me. Swear to me you won’t…”

“You see anybody else here? Just between you and me.”

I watched the nervous look flit across Fry’s face as if she felt like she could trust Johns. I wanted to scream at her. To shake her, and growl, and tell her exactly what I thought about the man. He was as trustworthy as I could throw him. He would, in the end, find a way to use this information against her, and it wouldn’t be pretty when it happened.

I watched as Riddick moved closer to the talking pair. A part of me wondered what he was doing, seeing as he could be seen at any moment if they chose to look just behind him. Still, I needed to hear the rest of this conversation, and what the convict was doing could be filed away later.

“During the landing.. when things were at their worst... Owens was at his best. He’s the one who wouldn’t let the docking pilot dump the main cabin.”

“And the docking pilot would be? Guess I’m more glad to be alive than I thought.”

I watched as Riddick leaned out and sliced off a small bit of Fry’s hair. He brought it up to his nose and smelled it, making me growl. Sub-vocal, but still loud enough for the convict to hear because I watched as his goggled-eyes slammed to mine, daring me to say anything. Oh, I was going to say something. Charging at the convict, I felt my body slam into his, but it wasn’t enough. He spun us so that once again, I was pinned underneath him in the shadows. I watched as he ripped off his goggles and stared at me. A part of me wondered what he was trying to prove. With just enough space, I felt him pull my goggles up as well. Silver eyes met silver as we stared at each other. Each one of us unwilling to relinquish dominance, but knowing that one of us would come out the alpha.

“And you have eyes like mine. Even more interestin’. You’re not jealous, are you sugar?”

I wanted to wipe the smirk off his face but instead settled on glaring at him. He was far more potent than I was, and I felt my animal wanting to do something it had never done before. Submit. Here. We were at a stalemate. If he rejected what I was about to do, then I wouldn’t even begin to understand what to do next. Turning my head to the right, showing him the smooth column of skin that was unmarked. It was the most significant sign of submission that anyone could do. He could kill me right then and there – slice my throat, and no one would be the wiser.

I didn’t expect him to lean down and kiss the smooth column of skin. It was almost too much. My animal gave in and surrendered. I was sure he could sense it and feel it. I was his, his to command. His to do whatever he felt like with. Animal to animal, he was my alpha, and I would submit. I wanted him to mark me as his, but this wasn’t the time. If I came out of the bones with a bite mark on my neck, the others wouldn’t hesitate to turn on me. I didn’t need them turning on me at the moment.

Hearing Johns’ voice yelling for me once again, I sighed. I felt the small kiss on my pulse point as I pushed Riddick off and moved to stand up. Wiping away the dirt and sweat as best I could, I stared at the convict. “Go play nice with the others. I’ll be there soon enough.” I told him as I moved out into the sunlight and the sight of the merc. I could feel eyes on me though I was sure that no one could see him.

There in the light, I saw Johns frown at me, and I smirked at him.

“Where were you?”

“I was studying the bones. Something ate them up good and clean. Things with razor-sharp teeth. As if they don’t even bother to really do much chewing, until after they had a whole mouthful.”

It was enough to make the merc shudder and me to grin at him. Our little party continued on through the bones and sand as we hoped to find civilization. I realized it was not too far off when I heard the young boys start to scream for the captain and take off running. I followed, only not as fast and not as interested. It was a settlement, but by the looks of it, it had long since been abandoned. I heard the Arab boys say something that I didn’t understand watched as Imam tried to translate some of what they were saying and sighed. I couldn’t fault him for his faith, but this had nothing to do with god. Something else was here before we were, and we needed to be careful.

Our task was simple – find water, and that was what we started to do. I tuned each of the others out as I made my way around the buildings. They were all abandoned, but that didn’t mean anything. People sometimes lock up their houses and leave things around as they travel. Still, there was this overwhelming sense of evil coming from the place, and I wanted to get out of there as fast as I could. Hearing Fry’s scream, I darted from my spot just outside the Coring Room and went to find her. Shiv drawn, I was prepared to take out anyone that might be threatening her. I didn’t really like her, but it was also true I didn’t need anyone dead on my watch if I could help it. Seeing that it was nothing more than a ship, I snorted and tucked my shiv away, moving back to my thoughts.

We were waiting for something, and I didn’t care what the others were discussing at the moment. My eyes and ears were trained on our surroundings as I tried to memorize the layout. It would help if I had to find my way back here, especially in the dark. I heard gunshots off in the distance and wondered if the others might have heard it. My question was answered when I saw Johns take off back towards the settlement. I needed to get there first – to get there and stop the merc from making things worse. Taking off at a run, letting myself free for the first time, I pushed myself hard and fast. I got there with enough time to get down to the hole where Zeke was. Oh, this was going to be fun.

———————————————————————————————————————–

I have to admit – the girl tellin’ me how to get free was somethin’ new. Of course, I needed to prove that she was right, so I turned my head and looked through the slit I had made in the blindfold. I could see it, the crack there in the pillar. Wouldn’t be too hard to escape. Standin’, I stretched my arms up as high as they would go and popped my shoulders out of place. Bringin’ it through the hole and back in front, I popped ‘em back in place. Small grunt; that’s all I could afford to let out in notion to the pain. Fallin’ forwards, I reached out and grabbed the torch that someone left out. Stupid to leave this in my grasp. I hope you realize that now Johns. Cuttin’ through the manacles, I ripped the bit out of my mouth and the blindfold off. Slippin’ on my goggles, I grinned. I could get out of here and go find that mystery woman.

Takin’ off at a run, I dropped my manacles one way and headed off in the other. Johns was smart enough that he’d figure it out, but I’d be long gone by then. At least, that was the plan. Takin’ off towards sunrise, I headed out into the desert. I wanted to chuckle at how easy it was this time to be free of the merc, but I didn’t. Instead, I just made my way to the large gatherin’ of bones and waste. Climbin’ up inside one of the sinus cavities, I laid in wait.

I didn’t have to wait long. I knew Johns would check on me sooner or later, and it was, apparently, later. I heard them comin’ long before I saw any of them; the feet makin’ enough noise for me to ascertain who was there.

_Heavy boots, the kind wore by mercs and cops alike. Must be Johns._

_Soft paddin’ – four of them from the sounds of it: one adult and three children of varyin’ sizes. Probably the holy-man and his sons._

_The other – soft, feminine, but somethin’ more. The woman was stompin’ for all she was worth as if the sound would drive away from her fears. Her scent. Must be the captain, the one that took the ship down._

_Hmm. Interestin’ I didn’t hear the footfalls, but I knew the other woman was there—the mystery woman, the one that smells like me._

Waitin’, I watched her slink into the bones, watched as she moved in the shadows almost as well as I do. Filin’ that away for later, I watched Johns poke his gun into the bones. He thinks he knows where I am, but he’s wrong—stupid merc. When the man leaves, I slid out of the sinus cavity and watched the girl. I wanted to get to know her better, and now was the time.

Movin’ closer, I could tell she didn’t even know I was there. Dangerous. She didn’t hear me comin’ upon her until it was too late, somethin’ we’d have to work on later. Instead, I spun her around, movin’ her up, so she was right in my eyesight. I wanted to take in her scent more. So I did. Leanin’ forwards, I inhaled. I could smell it, the animal just under the surface. It felt like mine. She had to be a convict, but she looked so young.

“You smell like me. Interestin’.”

I couldn’t fight the words as I watched her, try to judge her reaction to what I was sayin’. I seemed to get through to her, to get her to understand that this was somethin’ significant. She still wanted to fight. I stared at her with my goggle-covered eyes. Now wasn’t the time to show her that particular secret. Still, her rebelliousness was somethin’ to be admired. Kinda hot. It made my inner animal purr in approval. She could just be the thin’ I need to get off this planet.

Her words made me laugh. The girl thinks she can take me. Well, bring it on darlin’; you won’t win. I thought with a chuckle to myself. The battle started, and it was fun. It had been a long time since I’d managed to let my animal out and play. I hadn’t had a good fight for so long. We moved, a dance of sorts, that had us both blockin’ and hittin’ at the same time. It took all of what? Maybe five minutes for me to lay the girl out? My shiv, the one that Johns didn’t know I had, was at her neck, pressin’ hard enough to get my point across, but not hard enough to break the skin. The cheeky bitch had her shiv planted in my sweet spot. I couldn’t fight the grin at that. She knew how to take care of herself. I liked that a lot.

Movin’ off of her, I helped the girl up and slammed her against my chest. I liked this feelin’ of her in my arms. It seemed to make my beast calm, and that ain’t happened in such a long time. I stared at her, but she was broken from her thoughts by the sound of Johns. Watchin’ her move away, I slipped into the shadows as she walked away, movin’ to my target. If I could take one of them out here, maybe it would be one less person to turn on me in the end. Things don’t go quite like they were supposed to. I watched as the captain moved to where I was hidin’, and a plan started to form. Johns came up before I could act on it too much. I wanted to growl out in frustration, but I held myself in check. Lettin’ them know I was this close to them wouldn’t be good, at least not right now.

Instead, I listened to their conversation. I could care less who the older woman was, or if she tried to kill us off. I knew that when I did finally make a break for it, Fry wasn’t goin’ to be one of the ones I got off this planet. The young girl, the one pretendin’ to be a boy, and that other one, the one with the scent like mine. Those two, I’d get off here, but no one else. Not yet, at least. Takin’ out my shiv, I sliced off a few strands of Fry’s hair, sniffin’ it. I tried to catalog her smell so that in the dark, I could tell it was her and not someone else comin’ upon me. Sight only gets ya so far.

The growl I heard made me chuckle. Mystery thinks she’s got a claim to me. I could almost see the gears turnin’ in her head. I saw her chargin’ me, and I tried not to outright laugh. I didn’t want them to know I was here. It was far too easy to take her down to pin her underneath me. Rippin’ off my goggles, I stared at her, and then I pulled her own goggles up. The shock was somethin’ I got over quickly. The first time, I’d ever seen it on a woman. Kinda hot. It makes me wonder if she had it done in the same slam as mine. Mmmm, the memories of Butcher Bay.

“And you have eyes like mine. Even more interestin’. You’re not jealous, are you sugar?”

I couldn’t fight the words from comin’ out. I knew this woman was like me, but I didn’t need to rub it in. Still, she was jealous and didn’t need to be. That was somethin’ I was goin’ to have to fix. I watched her as she laid there under me, saw her turn her head. For one long moment, I’m stunned. I could feel her animal fightin’ to the surface. It wanted to battle for dominance, but I was more alpha. With that one move, she’d given me the power over her. Leanin’ forward, I couldn’t help but kiss the spot that she revealed. She had just submitted, and my animal and I, for once, we're in agreement. MINE! Now would be a perfect time to mark her, but I couldn’t. Not yet. Johns needed to be dealt with first. Kissin’ her pulse point, I felt her move. I could hear Johns callin’ for her like a dog and knew she had to go. I let her move away and stood up. Her words – they just kept throwin’ me for a loop.

For her, I’d go play nice with the others. For her, I’d try not to kill them. I needed to learn her story, but now was not the time. Movin’ away from my spot and headin’ back to the ship, I sighed. This was goin’ to be a long ass day. My feet swiftly carried me to the boat, and I didn’t have to hide much. None of them could see me or even catch me if they wanted. Spottin’ an excellent place to sit, I climbed up on the chair that Paris had been in, and waited. I watched them freak out and shoot someone, probably just another passenger. Oh, it’s not like I couldn’t hear ‘em thinkin’ it was me. As if I’d be that easy to kill.

I watched as they drug the body out to the hole they were diggin’. Not exactly a good idea considerin’ the critters I could hear. I wasn’t about to tell them otherwise. Watchin’, I saw the body get dumped, and then the prospector move as if to investigate somethin’. Stupid. When his body was pulled under, I moved. Not sure if it was the sudden thought of how upset my woman would be if I let the man die or the notion that we would just be feedin’ ‘em, that had me movin’. I saw Shazza runnin’ over, and I needed to get her out of the way. Knockin’ her over, I tugged hard on the cord and sighed as I felt it give some. If I didn’t save Zeke, this whole thing was gonna be over way before it started.

Tuggin’ hard on the cable, I managed to pull the man free. Not before he hit his head on a rock and was knocked out. A blow like that, at speed I was pullin' he was lucky it didn’t snap his neck. Before I could focus on what was goin’ on, I smelled the woman. My woman beside me and I watched her. Somehow she had managed to make it back here at the sound of the gunshots well ahead of the rest of the party. This could be interestin’.


	4. Awareness

It wasn’t that I expected Riddick to actually follow my advice... it was that I knew that Johns would overreact to the sound of gunshots. So far, the merc hadn’t really shown that he was the type to stop and ask questions before just acting. He had everyone so convinced that Riddick was the threat that they should be scared of. Typically, that would work but here, but on this planet, that wasn’t the case. Whatever I could sense underneath us was the real threat here. Maybe that was why I had chosen to run and see if I could head Johns off before anything happened to Riddick.

When I saw the convict tugging on the cable that held Zeke, my heart stopped. I didn’t know any of these people, not really, but losing even one of them would be detrimental to the morale of the people here. They were all relying on each other to survive, and the more people that died, the worse the situation was going to be. Shaking my head, I let my legs carry me over to the convict and smiled at him. Really he had done a good thing and, in truth, he could have just left Zeke to die.

It wasn’t enough, though, at least not when Johns showed up. There was Zeke covered in blood, a massive chunk of his arm taken out, and the convict hovering over the body. I could sense what the others thought, that Riddick had somehow done this. None of them knew just how he made his kills or the fact that Zeke was the least likely to be one of his victims. Not only that, but I was there as well, working with swift hands to try to help stem the flow of blood. Maybe I could convince them to leave us alone.

Shazza was starting to wake, but I wasn’t fast enough to get to her and make sure she was alright. Zeke’s arm was bandaged as well as could be with strips from my shirt, tied tightly as a tourniquet in hopes that the blood flow would at least stop over time. My focus had been to try to save the prospector, but when I saw Johns beating on Riddick, I had to stop it. The animal inside of me rose up, ready to defend the alpha that had claimed it. With swift feet, I moved, darting to the merc in a fraction of a second. I’m sure that my speed alone scared most of them, but I couldn’t care.

I could see the convict curled on the ground in a fetal position as he tried to defend against Johns’s attacks. This was too much. It was hard enough to watch the other convicts attack each other in the slam. This was something else, and I just reacted. I shouldn’t have, knowing that I was signing my own possible death warrant, but I couldn’t just watch them attack him. Shazza was trying to convince Johns to lay off, and Jack was working as well. It really didn’t go well for either of them. Johns, to show he was in control, simply shoved Shazza way and backhanded Jack to the ground.

I couldn’t stand it. Watching kids get hurt, especially ones that didn’t deserve it. It always set me off. In my right hand, I had my shiv out, ready to attack the merc. I launched myself at him but missed. I hadn’t predicted that he would shift at the last second. The sharp edge of the blade slicing into his arm, making him hiss in pain and rear back. It was enough to get the attack off of Riddick, but not enough that I knew it would be entirely over. I was looking at the merc, breathing heavily through the rage that was boiling in me. I could hear the blood drop from the blade as I waited.

Johns sent me a glare, one that I chose to ignore as I tried to move closer to Riddick. That was, probably, the stupidest move I could make. I didn’t see the butt of the gun coming down on the back of my head, nor did I have a lot of time to do anything before the blackness overtook me. The last thing I did remember was the sound of the growl and the violence behind that one action. As the darkness came, I welcomed it; after all, it was familiar to me.

I didn’t know how long I was out, but it was enough that when my eyes did open, I noticed I was on the ship again. My arms chained me to the wall, keeping me dangling, and I was just barely able to balance on my feet. Letting out a small moan, one of pain, I blinked a few times, trying to regain any semblance of what happened. If I had been free, I would have run a hand through my hair in hopes of finding the knot I was sure was there. It appeared that in my moment of unconsciousness, Johns had decided to chain me up like an animal. I couldn’t stop the growl.

There was an answering one just to my right, and my head automatically turned. I could see him, chained again where he couldn’t escape and his eyes without the goggles. He was looking at me as if he was trying to understand why I bothered. It wasn’t like I was supposed to look out for him, but I couldn’t just let Johns hurt him. No, there was something else going on, and I needed to get free. Tugging on the chains a bit, I tried to test them. They were too secure. I couldn’t just escape. There was no point in letting them know that I had lockpicks in my belt – it wasn’t like I could reach them anyway.

Noises from outside caused my head to jerk from the convict and towards the doorway. I saw her then, Fry, coming in to beg for answers. Zeke was alive, and rather than let us go and thank us for trying to save his life, they wanted to demand we give them answers. If either of us had actually attacked the man, we would be covered in blood and gore. We were not. Watching the blonde show up, I tried to figure out what her game was, but I wouldn’t know for sure until she spoke.

She looked at me a moment, trying to decide how she felt about me. I could sense the disdain rolling off of her as if she thought I was no better than the man chained up by me. Only I wasn’t the one she wanted to talk to. No, that much was evident when she turned to address Riddick. He wasn’t exactly going to give her straight answers, but she was too stupid to really notice that.

“Tell me about the sounds. Look, you told Johns you heard something.”

I watched for a moment the interaction between the two. I was intrigued by what Riddick might have told the merc and what he planned to say to her. Fry was, for all intents and purposes, visibly shaking. Fear – something that she was showing to the convict, and it was going to be her undoing. How could she possibly expect him to give her any straight answers with that kind of attitude?

“Just so you know, there’s a debate right now on what to do with you. Both of you. The others want to leave you here to die.”

“‘Mean the whispers?” At the gravelly sound of the convict's voice, my head whipped over to his. I could see his eyes full of mirth as he started to toy with the captain. He was trying to scare her, and that was the problem. No one would respect either of us unless they were terrified of the situation.

“What whispers?”

“The ones tellin’ me to go for the sweet spot – just to the left of the spine, fourth lumbar down. The abdominal aorta. Metallic taste to it, human blood. Coppery. But if you cut it with peppermint schnapps, that goes away.”

At the words of the convict, I could almost feel my eyes roll back in my head. His voice, the way he was speaking, it was calling to my animal. He was trying to seduce me with his words, while keeping his gaze trained on the woman. I couldn’t fight the small moan that escaped. It was something sub-vocal, only loud enough for him to hear. Maybe that was my problem. I was so fresh out of the prison that I hadn’t yet learned to adapt to the world. To fight the urges of the animal deep inside. Riddick was the alpha male, the supreme specimen, and he was calling to me. I could do nothing but hang there, I was trying to fight the lust that ran through my body at his words.

“Wanna try to scare me with the truth?”

I couldn't fight the chuckle then. Fry was trying so hard to be tough but she was failing. I could see it, Riddick could see it. Her attitude was nothing more than a smokescreen but it was enough to make her think she had the advantage. If it gave her even an iota of confidence, I wouldn’t hold it against her. Someone had to put up a front, or the fear would take over and paralyze them.

“All you people are so scared of me – an’ most days I’d take that as a compliment – but it’ ain’t me you gotta worry about now.”

I knew he was giving her as much of a clue as he could. He was never one to come out and say, ‘here’s what’s happening now do this.’ What I wanted to know was if Fry was smart enough to understand what the convict was saying. I doubted it with her next words.

“Show me your eyes, Riddick.”

“You’d have to come a lot closer than that.”

I watch as the captain moves a little closer. She really was playing with fire. Still, I wasn’t sure I liked the fact that she wanted to get that close to him. He was mine. Well, as much mine as he would allow me to claim.

“Closer”

I watched as Fry moved closer to see his eyes, and Riddick launched himself from the sitting position into standing. His silver-shined eyes boring into her as if trying to understand what she was playing at. It wasn’t like it was a normal everyday thing to see someone like that. He was sitting in the shadows so that it didn’t hurt his eyes too much. When he was sure that he’d scared her enough, he went back to sitting down. Before we could get much more conversation, we were interrupted by another one.

“Where the hell can I get eyes like that?”

My head whipped over to Jack, I had smelled her coming up but hoped that she wouldn’t interrupt. She didn’t need to know this... but what was I supposed to say?

“You gotta kill a few people.”

“K, I can do that.”

With a small chuckle, I winked at Jack. I could sense that about her, that if she set her mind to something, she’d be dead set on getting it to happen. If she genuinely wanted to be just like Riddick, she’d find a way to do so.

“Then you gotta get sent to a slam. One where they tell you you’ll never see daylight again. Dig up a doctor and pay him twenty menthols cools to do a surgical shine job on your eyeballs.”

Even though he was talking to Jack, Riddick never moved his gaze from Fry. I could smell her fear hike. She was so damn afraid of him – afraid of what he’d been through and how significant a threat he could be. It was pointless to fear him. He was their best chance off of this godforsaken planet.

“So, you can see who’s sneaking up on you in the dark?”

“Exactly.” I hear the amusement and excitement in Riddicks voice as he moved to look at Jack. This time he was talking to her, trying to get her to understand that what he said wasn’t meant to be taken lightly. What surprised me, though, was Fry’s reaction to the whole situation. Instead of chastising Riddick, she simply yelled at Jack to leave.

I could see the pout on the young girl’s face, but she did as she was told. Now was not the time to cross her. She had a mission to do, and I could respect her for that. It was why I hadn’t said anything. Only Riddick a the moment seemed to even care that I was also in the room. I watched as the kid sulked out of the room, hearing the words come out of the convict's mouth.

“Cute kid.”

He was honest. Riddick, if anyone bothered to notice, had a soft spot for kids. Jack was a kid to him, one that could worm her way into the convict’s heart and take hold. I wasn’t going to question it. I thought she was cute myself, someone who would stick up for us if we managed to get out of this damned place. When Riddick started talking, I turned back to look at the group. It was time to end this pointless conversation.

“Did I kill a few people? Sure. Did I try to kill Zeke? No. You’ve got the wrong guy.”

“He’s not in the hole, we looked.”

“Look deeper.”

The whole conversation was getting on my nerves. I had told Fry earlier that we weren’t alone on this planet – that there was something else here – but she didn’t see fit to listen. Now they were trying to get to the bottom of what wanted to take a bite out of Zeke, and maybe they would believe Riddick. This was tiresome. Perhaps they would go and find out, and one of them get killed. Perhaps that would be the clue they all needed to get with the damn program.

I watched as Fry left the area. It was clear she didn’t quite believe what Riddick was saying, but she had no way to prove otherwise. Why should she? He was a convict and a murder, after all. I was the one that tried to stop him from getting his ‘just deserts,’ and at the same time, I was something more. A part of me wondered if they would leave me chained up in here or if they would expect me to find a solution to their problem.

I didn’t have to wait long. Johns came strolling into the area with a considerable smirk on his face. Oh, this can’t possibly be good. _What the hell are you thinking merc?_ Before I could really try to rile him up, some of the shackles above my head were shot free. Why was he letting me go? This had better be good. Standing up tall, I waited, trying to see what he was playing at.

“You’re so sure that your convict boyfriend over there isn’t the person that tried to take a bite out of Zeke. Well, sugar, you’re going to prove it. You’re going down that hole.”

With a glare, I let my hands drop around my waist as I thought about reaching for one of my weapons. I was quite sure that they weren’t anywhere near me. Johns would have to be a stupid man to leave them close to us even if I was tied up.

“What the hell makes you think I’ll go? I’m not the one that wouldn’t listen to those of us that actually knew what we were talking about.” My tone brokered no argument. He had better tell me why the hell I was going to go into that dark hole, and he better start telling me now.

“You don’t go, I send one of the kids. Wouldn’t want their blood on your head would you sugar? Don’t know what slam you escaped from but, believe me, the bounty will go up if you add children to the mix.”

I was lost. I couldn’t let one of the kids go down there, not even if they got on my nerves. Losing them would be worse than getting me killed. The only one of them I was attached to was Jack, and I had no doubt that Johns would try to send her down into that hole. She wouldn’t last two minutes, not without training and a weapon.

“Fine. I’ll go.”

I watched for a moment as Johns left, and I knew I needed to follow him out. This was stupid, but what could I do? I would not let them die. No matter what. Closing my eyes a moment, I tried to center my focus. I needed to get myself under control, my emotions situated before I headed to the underground. I doubted they would give me a weapon, not that It would make any difference, really. I had a few they hadn’t found yet, and I just hoped it was enough.

Part of me wanted to acknowledge the growl – the demand that I turn around and look at him before I left. I couldn’t. Not right now. If I turned around and looked at him, he’d try to convince me not to go. I didn’t feel like I could stand trying to justify why I had to go down there. He would understand, on some level, that it was about trying to protect the innocent. Not something most convicts wanted to admit they did. Yet, at the same time, I knew he wanted to command me not to go.

Without bothering to stop and look at Riddick, I strode out of the cargo area, with my chains still dragging behind me. Just outside the door, I reached into my belt and removed one of the small sets of handpicking cuffs I’d stashed in there. It took me all of thirty seconds to have the lock picked, and the chains dropped on the ground. That should be significant enough to keep Johns guessing a little as to what I was truly capable of.

Outside, in the bright sunlight, I winced some. My goggles were on my face – secure for now, but it was still so vivid that I wasn’t even sure what to do. Sunlight could cost me a great deal of time while my eyes tried to desensitize themselves. Shaking out my long black hair, I moved forwards. I could see the group congregated around the hole that Zeke had been attacked near. I needed to stay calm, especially if I planned to make it out of this alive. Moving closer, I let them notice me before they got into too big of an argument.

“I told you already, Fry. You aren’t going down that hole. The girl over there volunteered, and I couldn’t turn her down. C’mon, it’s not like I actually believe that anything’s down there. They’re fucking with you.”

“You don’t have to do this, Autumn. You don’t have to put yourself in that kind of danger.”

“It’s fine. You want to know what’s down in that hole, and I’m the only one that can get you the answers. Let’s just get this done.” I say softly as I move towards it. I know they don’t expect me to be much use to them, but none of them really know me. To them, I’m just some girl that liked shivs and can be dangerous. Slowly, I start to crawl towards the hole, wondering just what I was going to see. Imam had suggested that I take a flashlight with me, but what was the point? I could see in the dark, and these little buggers didn’t need to know or care. It was something to do to make them – the humans – happy, so I took one. Moving further into the cave, I sighed. This was going to be the thing that crossed the line.

Inside the little hole, I took a breath. It was dark enough in here that I didn’t need to use the light or my goggles. Slipping them up to rest against my forehead, I waited for a beat before proceeding further into the area. This area was like a small cavern. There was enough room for me to stand up tall, but then I was only about five and a half feet tall. I was relatively small in comparison to most of the people that were out there, waiting for me to come up again. Moving slowly forward, I tried to memorize as much as I could.

There were sounds – small sounds that sounded like a clicking noise. Turning to adjust my gaze upon whoever was making the noise, I saw two of the creatures staring at me. Like this, they didn’t seem hostile. No, they appeared almost calm as if they didn’t care that I was walking around in their turf. That was something to ponder at least, for now. Moving further into the area, I tried to study the place. There seemed to be families of these little creatures if their positioning was to reflect anything. They have clustered around in groups of four or more, little ones tucked back away from the larger ones as if trying to hide.

I couldn’t help but take a few more steps forward. This was dangerous. I needed to get out of here, and fast before they decided that I was going to be lunch. I should have paid more attention; if I had, I would have seen the corner that I literally ran into. If I had seen it, I might not have dropped the torch down on the ground. The fall was hard enough that the item bounced and turned on. I watched, in awe for a moment, as the formerly docile creatures turned. The light was enough to set them off, to turn them into monsters.

Their attack came at me fast and dangerous, and I barely had time to block one of their claws. I could feel the scrapes dotting my arms as they tried to take out the threat. Moving, I managed to snag one of the knives I kept in my boot. With it, I managed to take out the one that was lunging at me. It wasn’t enough. The others, smelling the blood, was all it took for them to decide to attack me. Dodging and twisting, I tried to get away from them as quickly as I could. I needed this – to escape and tell them what was down there.

When I saw a break in the creatures, I ran for it. Hoping I could make it, I started to climb when I saw a pillar above me. I wasn’t fast enough to avoid their claws and tails. Not this time. I could feel the slices across my back and down my legs and arms. It was enough to drive a scream out of me, and that was something rare. When you deal with the things you deal with in a slam, screaming from pain is the first thing you learn not to do. Can’t let them know how weak you are... how much it hurt.

Fighting back the urge to scream out again, I start to climb. I have to get out of here, get out of this hole, and back to the mock civilization that awaited me. Pushing through the dirt and rocks, I pushed my way up. Fighting and hitting at the spire, I hoped that they could hear me. Screams ripped from my throat as I punched at anything I could find. It’s not enough, though. My own strength and I almost gave up. Maybe that was wrong of me, but what else could I do? I was going to die here if I gave up. With a grunt, I put as much force as I could into the punch and broke through. As soon as my hand hit the light, I felt another hand pulling me. I heard Jack’s voice over the others, asking me if I was ok and telling me that she heard me.

“I heard you, I went and got the others, but I was the one that heard you.”

“Thanks, Jack,” I said softly to her. She was probably the only one I trusted at the moment to get me out of this mess. Soon enough, Shazza was there, along with Fry, and they pulled me free of the hole. I could hear the creatures there underneath me, demanding that I come back and pay for depriving them of their meal. Feeling one attach to my leg, the last-ditch effort to pull me back down, I bit my lip to keep the pain from showing through. I didn’t need them to know that I was having a weak moment with the pain. Feeling one last tug on my waist from Johns, I was clear of the hole and out on the ground.

I couldn’t move. The pain was too much, debilitating right now. Hearing a scream, I tried to turn my head, but it didn’t work. Instead, I had Jack telling me that the creature tried to come out into the light and how it seemed to sink back into the hole. This was not a good thing. If they didn’t like the sun, then that was good, but a part of me wondered if this place would stay in the light forever.

There were voices around me, and they were talking, and it didn’t sound pretty. It was hard to focus on what exactly they were saying, what they needed me to understand. I was trying, but I couldn’t.

“There’s a lot of blood.”

“C’mon, we have to get her back to the ship. Maybe we can get her out of the sun.”

“Something’s down there, but we won't know until she wakes up. If she wakes up.”

“Was that a gunshot? Wait. Woah. Where did the big guy come from?”

The last thing I could remember was a set of hands, firm and stable, gripping me and lifting me up off the sand. I was content to let them do whatever they wanted. I could smell him, Riddick, it was his hands that lifted me and carried me away from the area. Before I could overthink it, I felt the darkness overtake me once more.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was tryin’ to save the guy like Autumn asked me too. She asked me to play nice with the others, and that is what I was doin’. At least until Johns showed up. I have pulled away from the body that I was tryin’ to help the girl with. I could feel the man beatin’ me, and I did what I could to stop it. I watched the others, Shazza, try to come to my defense. Stupid woman. She wasn’t strong enough to stand up to Johns. Her gettin’ knocked away wasn’t all that bad. It was the kid, that’s the one that made it hard. I hate seein’ kids hurt, and Johns knew that.

I was surprised though, watching Autumn attack the man. It was a sure sign that somethin’ would happen later to make her regret that action. I couldn’t help it though, I had to growl when I watched Johns hit the woman. It was gonna hurt, and the smell of blood in the air, made me growl. If I managed to get the chance, I would take the merc out. He was a pain in my fuckin’ side, and he needed to be dealt with.

Lettin’ the man chain me back up, I watched as he drags the girl in and fastened her near me. It wasn’t smart, really. Someone like her probably could get out of those quicker than the bounty hunter could think. I was worried though, she was out for a good long while. That blow that she took made me wish I could be free and make sure she was alright. I felt her rouse, watched her as if nothing else mattered. We could have talked, but I heard the footsteps, both of them, and knew that our time would be interrupted. Instead, I waited. Soon enough, Fry came into view.

So much for an interrogation. The others needed to learn a few things. I filled Carolyn's head with pretty little words, watchin’ as her fear level spiked. She could try to be all big and bad, but she was nothin’ more than a scared woman who thought she was dealin’ with the boogeyman. Let me be the bad guy, at least it keeps them off my woman. I had the perfect opportunity to scare the livin’ shit out of the captain, and so I took it. Lettin’ her see my eyes, knowing that they would scare her. What I hadn’t expected was the kid. Or the giggle. Apparently, the girl was amused.

Answerin’ the questions, keepin’ my gaze on Fry wasn’t hard. It was easier to see my opponent that way. When the kid left, I almost wanted to pout. I liked kids, they were amusin’. Somethin’ I’d always want to protect. I wish they could all see that. Maybe then they wouldn’t be so quick to judge me. I gave them the answers they were lookin’ for, and it wasn’t enough. They wanted more.

I watched as Johns came in, demandin’ that the girl goes down. I wanted to shiv him right there to watch as he bleeds out in front of me. He was doin’ this to get back at us both. She had tried to take him on to stop him from hurtin’ me. I watched as she was threatened, forced to go down that damned hole, and into the darkness as payback. I watched as she agreed and I couldn’t stop the growl. That damned woman would pay. Not turnin’ around and lookin’ at me. I wanted to see if she could handle this if she was alright with this. She wouldn’t turn, but then again, I understood why.

I was bored, just sittin’ there. Waitin’ hadn’t always been one of my talents, but it was somethin’ I found myself applyin’ here. I had to just wait. I could hear it, the creatures below us and the screams. Anyone could listen to those screams. Rattlin’ and slammin’ my chains against the metal, I wanted them to come to talk to me. I needed to get free. Of course, I hadn’t expected Johns to come in here and free me. I watched a moment as he shot up into the air, and the shackles fell.

“I want you to remember this moment. The way it could have gone, but didn’t.”

“Here’s the deal. You work without the chains, without the bit – without the shivs. You do what I say when I say it.”

“For what? The honor of going back to some asshole of a cell? Fuck you.”

“Truth is... I’m tired of chasing you.”

“You’d cut me loose?”

“I could say you died down there – on that planet.”

“My recommendation: Do me. Don’t take the chance that I’ll get shiv happy on your wanna-be ass. Ghost me, motherfucker, that’s what I’d do to you.”

This was going my way, strangely enough. I watched as Johns gave me the chance to grab his shotgun. Holdin’ at him, decidin’ if I wanted to pull the trigger or not, I spoke to the merc.

“I want you to remember this moment.”

It wasn’t a suggestion. I wanted to remember the moment I actually let Johns live. It wouldn’t really happen again. That wasn’t the problem. I could hear the screams and I wanted out of here. I saw the merc run, maybe hopin’ he could show the others how courageous he was. I moved at my own pace, but fast enough, I could get close to finding out what was goin’ on. Outside in the air, I could smell the blood. Usually, I wouldn’t care, people bleed in this type of situation, but the scent that came with the blood made my own run cold. I scented the air and growled. I could hear them, their voices echoin’ around the body.

She needed to be looked at an’ it was clear they were just going to sit around and wait. Movin’, I went and picked her up. She was bleedin’ pretty bad, and I could tell she was out of it. That much blood loss was goin’ to present a problem. At least inside the ship, we could try to clean the wounds, not that we had any water. Alcohol would suffice and cut any possible infection that might be startin’. I was shakin’, but I couldn’t let them see that. They didn’t need to know how much this affected me.


	5. Bloodlust

Darkness was the only thing I knew for what felt like forever. The pain had always been something that convicts and prisoners alike were familiar with. There wasn’t any way to change that. When your entire world was 'kill or be killed,' a few cuts, broken bones, and sprains were natural. So this was something I could deal with. At least for now. Here, inside the darkness, was home. It was familiar and it was safety. Out there, was the world, the whole shebang, and I wasn’t ready to face it yet. True, the other survivors needed to know what they met, but what was down there in the depths of the hell they wanted me to go? They needed to know that something was going to eat them if they weren’t careful.

It could wait. I had no idea how long the darkness consumed me, but as I started to wake, I couldn’t fight back the moan. Pain flared up in my back as I felt something splash across it. After the liquid cleared away, a pair of rough but strong hands started working away from the dirt and grime. I knew they wanted to see how bad the cuts were, but I didn’t want them too. Not like this. Not when I was the most vulnerable. It was the time, though, to face the piper, and I could only hold the man with the fingers off for so long.

I tried to move, but the growl was enough to make me pause. It wasn’t enough to make me stop completely. Still, I was trying to push myself away – to stand up so I could find a place to hide until the embarrassment of actually getting hurt could wear off. What forced me to stop was the louder growl and the words. Riddick was an alpha. That was for sure because he cowered my animal with only a few single tiny little words. I wanted to scream out at him that the man had no right, but I understood him. He was trying to take care of me. I should be grateful rather than trying to rip apart what he was doing. I could feel a hand digging into my waist.

“Don’t fuckin’ move. It’ll only make it worse..”

Shock coursed through me. What was I supposed to say to that? Here he was, the killer of men, Richard B. Riddick, taking care of me. I could hear someone sniffling, not too far away, and I managed to turn my head. I could see Jack watching us, looking as if she felt like she failed or something. Stilling myself, and laying back down on my stomach so that Riddick could finish cleaning the wounds, I held my hand out for Jack.

I was already starting to feel the wounds close and my healing to kick in. It wasn’t going to be super speedy recovery, but at least I wouldn’t die right here and now. If the bandages were secure enough, they would do their job without me having to worry too much. I wasn’t some invincible force like Riddick seemed to be, and I healed. Albeit slower than he did, but still slightly faster than an average human. I credited it to adapting and surviving so young in that slam.

I wanted to tell her I knew her secret: that out of anyone here, it would be the convict and I that kept her safe. We both knew she wasn’t who she was pretending to be, but it didn’t matter right now. “Thank you, Jack. If you hadn’t heard me, I might still be in that hole. How’s Zeke doing?”

Part of me wanted to know how the man was whose life we managed to save. Even if the others weren’t grateful. Maybe we should have just let those creatures eat him, gobble him up as if he was nothing more than desert.

“He’s alright. He’s awake and rather pissed at Johns for the way he treated you. Kinda mad at you for being stupid enough to go down there.”

I heard the convict snort as if he wanted to laugh, but was afraid it might make me flee again. I didn’t want any of them mad at me. That wasn’t the goal. I needed to heal because if those creatures got out, they would go for the weakest – for blood. What was I supposed to tell them?

“Jack, it’s alright. Johns took my shivs, or else I would have fared better. I went down there without any weapons. Have you seen my shivs at all?”

I had no doubt the young girl would tell me if she did. I’d be lucky if I managed to find them at all. Who knows where they went in all this mess? I wasn’t talented enough to make a knife from the things lying around, and the ones I had were a gift. They had been given to me in the slam as one of the last bits made right before my escape. As a small woman, I had little hands, and I needed a blade that was perfectly balanced for me. One that wouldn’t be too cumbersome for me to try to use. Those had been custom made for me.

With a sigh, I turned my gaze to look at the convict from the corner of my eye. With his goggles on, it was hard to tell what he was thinking. His eyes gave away nothing, hidden behind the black frames. I wanted to see his eyes, but this wasn’t the right time. He wasn’t exactly the type of man to share what he thought when everyone else was around. With a huff, I closed my eyes and waited. He couldn’t spend forever on my back.

Already I could feel the wounds closing. Being the animal that I was, I had learned in a way to heal faster. Only two of the cuts were deep enough that they might need stitches. Where we would find a medkit around here, I didn’t know. The only one that the ship probably had was sucked away into the atmo when the boat was crashing. Riddick could be resourceful, though, if need be. Instead, I just felt gentle fingers running along the edges of the cuts. Studying them before I heard pieces of cloth ripping. I don’t know where they found it, but I felt the parts pressed hard against me as they tied around the cuts.

I could hear the voices getting closer from the outside. Shazza was talking with Fry about if they should come in and check on me. Johns was trying to convince them that the two convicts were better off left alone. Zeke, the man that seemed to be loud perpetually, started to talk.

“They both saved my life. If they hadn’t managed to pull me out and treat me, I would be dead. Doesn’t that count for anything? If they wanted to kill us, they could have.”

“Doesn’t change the fact that they are convicts. The law says they must do their time. I can’t change that.”

“Whatever. We need to get to the settlement. See if we can get that power cell working in the ship.”

I took a deep breath through my nose and hoisted myself up when the bandages were tied. Looking down, I frowned. My shirt was in tatters and it barely covered anything but the necessary parts. I would need to find a new shirt before long. This heat would not do well on my pale skin, and I was surprised that I hadn’t already burned to a crisp. Reaching up and making sure my goggles were secure, I moved away from the ship. We couldn’t stay here, but one power cell was not going to be enough to get us off this rock.

Outside I noticed that everyone that was remaining were all standing around waiting on us. We needed to travel as a group, especially if the Imam and his sons managed to get the water unit working. With a sigh, I could feel the tension in the air mount. I breathed in through my nose and out through my mouth as I tried to calm down. It was a mix of fear and tension that was making it hard for me to focus. I couldn’t help but realize that not all of us were going to make it. I hoped that I could try to save at least some of them. Maybe then I wouldn’t be seen in such a horrible light.

Feeling a body moving closer to mine – a hand brushing along the back as he moved to stand by Johns – I jolted. Anytime Riddick touched me, I could feel it inside. My animal, she was at war. There was a part of her wanted to stand there and bask in the smallest of touches, while the other part wanted to tackle the convict to the ground and demand that he respects me as an equal.

So far, though, I knew that I hadn’t shown him that I was a worthy challenger. I’d drawn blood on him earlier. Nothing more than a scrape really, but then I’d managed almost to get eaten. Not a good sign that I was someone that could take care of herself. With a shake of my head, I tucked a small strand of my unruly hair behind my ear and moved.

“Let’s get back to the settlement.”

My voice was soft, but it had the desired effect. All of the others started walking and heading back in the right direction. Johns was behind Riddick and me, making sure we ‘behaved.’ I have no idea what he thought he might accomplish. If we were going to attack him, it wouldn’t be in broad daylight where he had the advantage. No, it would be in the darkness when the merc was at his weakest. That would be the perfect time to strike.

My feet were growing tired, my body numb. It was a combination of the heat, walking, and the lack of water. I hadn’t partaken in any of the alcohol that Paris was shoving around, knowing that it would only make it worse in the end. I could make it, though, until we got to the settlement. I would need water and rest. Losing blood and bouncing back wasn’t easy, but I would be damned if they saw me as weak. I was not a weakling.

Amusing wasn’t something I often found in the slam, but out here in this hellish planet, it seemed to surround me. As we were walking with the rest of the group back to the settlement, the unusual happened. Maybe it was because Johns was trying to make the situation worse, or perhaps it was because Riddick was purposely creating panic. Whatever it was, I was finding the entire ordeal amusing. It could also be related to the fact that it was about to pass out from the combination of blood loss and dehydration.

Voices picked up as we walked. Paris, who I was starting to refer to as Puff in my head fondly, felt as if he needed to talk to Johns about the situation. As if one William J. Johns would do anything that wasn’t his way. It wasn’t even like the rest of us had a choice.

“So just like that. Wave your little wand, and he’s one of us now.”

“Didn’t say that. But least this way, I don’t have to worry about falling asleep and not wakin’ up.”

“Well, I feel we owe Mr. Riddick amends.”

“He’s happy just bein’ vertical. Leave him be.”

“So, can I talk to him now?”

“No!”

I didn’t expect the answer to that question to be yes. But considering Zeke wasn’t dead and he was still mostly healthy, I was surprised that Shazza was so dead set on telling the child no. If anything, she was the safest one from the convict. The child was not going to be hurt by the bigger man in any way. At least not unless Riddick pushed to the absolute limit and, even then, I doubted he would.

As we continued to walk, I noticed that Paris was trying to carry more than he should have, and one of his bottles of wine falls to the ground. It wasn’t that I expected anyone to stop to pick it up, but that wasn’t the enjoyable part. What was funny was how it seemed to almost roll right at Riddick.

“Paris P. Ogilvie. Antiquities dealer, entrepreneur.”

“Richard B. Riddick. Escaped convict, murder.”

The way he said it, with the mirth in his voice, as if he was laughing at the situation, was enough to force giggles from my throat. It was a sound I wasn’t used too, nor was I genuinely comfortable. Still, watching the convict drink down the entire bottle of wine was making me more than amused. I wasn’t offered any, but then again, given the situation I was in, I doubted he would have. I looked as if I was about ready to drop, and alcohol would only enhance that.

The trip this time wasn’t nearly as long. Maybe because we already trekked it earlier and knew the course. Whatever it was, we made it pretty quickly, and Imam and the boys were waiting for us with smiles on their faces. They got the water working. It was a good sign for now.

Choosing not to partake yet to allow the others a chance, I moved out to one of the outlying buildings. There was a bit of shade coming off them and, if I sat just right, I was colder than before. Leaning my head back, I ignored the burning feeling of the metal against my skin and closed my eyes. So much was going on that I was hearing, feeling, and a part of me wanted to recoil. This planet was dead on the surface, but whatever lay below was angry, and pacing. They were waiting for their chance to break free and kill us – a good fight for dominance and food.

I got lost in my thoughts for a moment that I didn’t hear him approach. Maybe it was the lack of blood or focus, but something made it harder for me to listen to him. I should have been able to smell him, but the scent of blood in the area was far too strong. Even with my eyes closed, I saw a bit of my shadow get darker. I opened my eyes, him seeing that they were open through the goggles as I stared at him. There, in front of my eyes, was a canteen of water.

“Up. Drink.”

Taking it gently, I moved into a sitting position and slowly started to drink the water. I realized that the more Riddick was able to sneak up on me, the worse I would be seen in his eyes. I didn’t want to be weak. As I sipped at the water, I could feel things becoming more focused. I could hear the others talking, Fry commenting about how they needed more cells to get the ship to fly. Shazza saying about maybe being able to repair the sandcat. It was all good and well, but it didn’t help us get off this planet or figure out what happened to all the people.

“You lost too much blood. Too much heat. Drink slowly. I don’t want you to pass out on me. Here, take this, keep it safe. Lose it, and you and I will have words.”

He also handed me a shiv. This one felt like one of mine, but it wasn’t mine. It wasn’t the one that had been made for me before I left the bay. Looking down at the metal, I stared in shock. It was indeed a work of art. Curved perfectly and balanced as if he knew precisely how I fought with the weapon. It was smaller than his, little enough to comfortably sit in my hand and make it seem as if it was a part of me. It was something. I wasn’t sure how to take it.

It wasn’t easy to be around Riddick when he was like this. Usually, he was such a bad-ass, but right now, he was soft. Not in a weak sense, but in the feeling that there was something about me that he didn’t want to let go of. That was where the confusion set in. Slowly I drank the water as I started to feel the dizziness and the lightheadedness leave my body. Blood loss was going to make me feel like this anyway, but when you added in the heat from the suns and the lack of water until now... it would only make things worse.

When it seemed as if I wasn’t going to keel over, the convict moved away. His purpose was done, and it wouldn’t do well to linger. After a few moments, I stood and headed towards the others. Inside was what appeared to have been the cafeteria of the area. I saw everyone sitting around a table sipping at glasses of water. I had no idea where the others had been. I wasn’t focused on that. I was focused only on trying to understand Riddick’s behavior up until now. Yet here we all were in a room where we could see everyone.

Taking a seat in the shadows, sipping at the water brought to me, I waited. I could see Riddick sneak in and Jack not too far behind him. I couldn’t fight the grin on my face at watching the kid. For someone trying to be a boy, she had gone a little out there this time. It was almost as if she was trying to be a Riddick clone. Her hair had been shaved down, and a pair of goggles decorated her face. The look from Paris was enough to make me actually burst into a peal of laughter. I smiled at Jack and winked at the girl, letting her know she didn’t bother me any. I wondered how Riddick felt about the girl trying to look like him.

“Well, if it isn’t the winner of the look-alike contest.”

As everyone gathered around, we started to talk about what we are going to do. The skiff seemed to be the number one thing on everyone’s mind – trying to get us out of here. Fry and Shazza are talking about it, of course, the convict just had to show how much he knew about the information. What I would never understand is why the world continues to think he’s stupid. In the brief amount of time that I’ve known him, Riddick has shown to be by far one of the smartest men I’ve ever encountered, and yet the others brush him off because he’s a convict.

There was a conversation about the people that used to live on this planet. I hadn’t managed to do much exploring of my own yet, but there were signs that they were some sort of researcher types. I didn’t care honestly. What mattered the most to me was trying to understand what happened to them. By the looks of everything around us, they never left the planet, and, if that was the case, I shuddered to try to come to terms with where they are now.

“Who were these people anyway? Miners?”

With a look that clearly said that he was stupid, Shazza looked at Paris before replying.

“Looks like geologists. Advance team – moves from rock to rock, taking their families with them.”

It wasn’t that we all really cared about that. It was Jack’s next question, timed with my own that seemed to change the atmosphere in the room. No one really did understand how the two of us managed to talk at the same time or why we asked the same question precisely the same way. Still, it happened, and we both looked at each other sheepishly, while I heard a small snort of amusement out of the animal. He was laughing at me. I would deal with that later when we were alone.

“But why did they leave their ship?”

Maybe it was the silence that forced everyone to calm down, or perhaps it was because no one wanted to face the answers to that question. We all knew that something was under the surface. My back was the sign of that. They just didn’t want to wake up and face the reality that it was far too dangerous to be here even with the convict on the loose. This planet was the enemy, not us.

At the sound of Johns’ condescending voice, I fought the urge to punch him in the face. He thought he was some big shot that had all the answers. He was wrong. I was barely aware of the growl that escaped my mouth, feeling a presence move closer to me as if trying to calm me some. I didn’t have to look up to know it was Riddick. His smell permeated the air around me, and I breathed it in like a dying man starving for oxygen. It was the only thing right now keeping me calm. It wasn’t like he could just reach out and put his hand on my shoulder. At least, not until we had the upper hand in the situation.

“It’s a skiff. Disposable, really.”

“Like an emergency life raft?”

“Sure. Coulda had a real drop-ship take them off the planet.”

“They didn’t leave. Whatever almost got, Zeke got them. They’re all dead.”

“What? You don’t really think they left with their clothes on the lines? Photos on the shelves?”

“Maybe they had weight limits, you don’t know.”

“I know you don’t uncrate your emergency ship unless there’s a fuckin’ emergency.”

“He’s fucking right.”

The direction of this conversation was starting to depress me. Riddick was right. No one left here. They uncrated their emergency ship because they were facing something terrible. No one wanted to hear it come from the mouth of the convict, though – that’s why they kept protesting what he was saying.

“Well, far be it for me, another convict, to make a point here, but Riddick is right. Think about how those animals went after Zeke and me when we both dropped the flashlight. Imagine if these people didn’t know anyone was here and then suddenly they are digging into the planet, disturbing holes and nests. You’d be fucking angry too. Angry enough to attack everyone you found.”

With everyone looking at me, I sighed. I was only stating the truth, and I could see it in everyone’s eyes but Johns. He still wanted to be the big hotshot, the person that came up with the information. No one wanted to deal with the fact that the two of us, the two people they ‘should’ be afraid of had managed to suss out the truth when they were too busy hiding their heads in the sand.

After saying my piece, I felt the need to escape. In that room, I was suffocating. I could feel loathing and anger, and I had no way of knowing if it was directed at me or not. Something had them all on edge, and being around that was driving me insane. Outside, I breathed a moment before sighing. My body had adjusted to the low oxygen on the planet. It was a hindrance anyway. Removing it and setting it off on the ground, I headed towards the most significant building. There on the side was a sign CORING ROOM. I knew what its purpose was – it wasn’t hard to guess with them being geologists and all.

At first, I had no idea what drew me to the room, but I knew that something was calling to me. The closer I got to the building, the more I heard it. The sounds from inside. I could listen to feet scuffling, and I sighed. Someone had gotten a little too curious for their own good. Moving around to the side of the building, I saw the small hole and climbed inside. Considering what these creatures had done to me... this was stupid. I would probably end up making Riddick chain me to the wall himself if only so he could keep an eye on me.

Inside the room, I could hear the animals moving, watching as the kid accidentally turned on the lights. Readying my shiv, I prepare to do whatever I must to protect the child. While it might be his own stupidity and curiosity that drew him here, I couldn’t just let him die. What kind of person would that make me? Turning my goggles up and letting my natural eyes take over, I moved through the darkness with relative ease.

Catching the boy before he pisses them off too much was easy enough. I shoved him behind me just as the animals start to take flight. I could see them surrounding us – demanding payment, demanding food. They want us. We are their source of nourishment, and they’ve been in hibernation far too long. With a lunge, one of them goes after me. I can’t fight the scream that is ripped from my throat as I feel the claws rip into me again. Turning, I throw the young child to the ground and cover him with my body. The worst thing he could try to do would be to run, so I had to protect him, keep him from being seen by the creatures. My back becomes their playground once more, ripping open the barely closed wounds and creating new ones.

The sound of feet pounding towards me only gives me a moment’s hope before I hear the shotgun blast. It was enough to startle the creatures, to get them to veer away. As the light comes streaming in, I listen to them shriek and scream. All of them were attempting to run away, their meal was forgotten for now. Feet moved closer, but all I could focus on was the pain. I couldn’t even move. Still hunched over the young child, I listened as he breathed in and out – quickly in a panic but alive nonetheless.

Two strong hands picked me up from the ground and moved me out of the way. Somewhere else, not too far away but away, there was a feeling of underlying tension in the muscles. I had no doubt who it was that moved me. Riddick’s smell surrounded me as I felt his fingers trace the rips in the fabric over my shirt, tracing through the wounds again. Sighing, he started to clean and redress the ones that he could find. We needed this done, the wounds closed up as much as they could. They weren’t all that deep, it was just quite a lot of them.

Laying there on my stomach, feeling the hands leave my back, I closed my eyes. I was trying to center myself, trying to come to terms with what happened. In moments like this, Riddick touched me as if I was the most precious thing in the world as if I was made of glass. I hadn’t even had a chance to attack any of the creatures, my only thought about protecting the boy.

“You have a death wish, don’t you? Don’t pull another fuckin’ stunt like that without me again. Understand?”

“Is he – Is the boy alright?”

I didn’t get an answer. Instead, I got a growl. Turning my head and opening my eyes to stare into Riddick’s, I saw the emotions there. He was angry and scared, and it was unreal. I wished for a moment that I could read his mind, but I didn’t really need to. I understood those emotions that he was showing. He was angry at me for coming in here, for not telling anyone where I went, and for worrying him. He was scared that they would kill me or that they had killed me. My back was an absolute mess, and I had no idea when I’d be able to actually lay on it in the future. It was going to take more than bandages to keep the wounds from reopening. I watched as the anger slid into what looked like possessiveness. As if he owned me and would be the one calling the shots in the future. That might very well be true if we got out of this alive. Glaring at the convict, I spoke, the venom in my voice was sure to set fire to the dominant man that was Riddick.

“You aren’t my keeper. If I want to ‘pull’ another stunt as you call it, I will. You don’t own me.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew they were a mistake. I could see the silver-shined eyes of the convict glaring down at me, but I couldn’t stop it. He was right, though. He was in control of me. My animal submitted every time he came near. I watched as his face shifted from rage to amusement before a body landed on mine. I stilled, terrified of what he was going to do to me. He hadn’t said anything yet, and that was the more pressing issue.

“If I tell you to behave, you behave. Do you not understand this? I’m your alpha, I feel you submit, giving me power and control. If you die, I will find a way to bring you back so I can kill you again myself. Slowly. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!”

The ferocity, in his words, made me shudder, and I wanted to know if the others heard him yell. He was acting out in anger, but at the same time, I had said something stupid. Matlock had told me to trust the animal inside of me – that she hadn’t let me down. Now was my chance. Here underneath the body of the convict, I could feel myself weaken and give in. He did control me and, if the fact that he was once again sniffing my neck was any indication, he was quite sure he was in charge. What was I supposed to do? So what if I had this strange attraction to the man? If my animal thought that I should just surrender and let the other animal dominate me... Now wasn’t the time to dwell on these feelings. Was it?

My thoughts were interrupted when I felt pain in my neck. My arms automatically moved and wrapped themselves around the convict as I felt him shift above me. His body pressed against mine – his stomach to my back as I realized the pain erupts in my wounds. He wouldn’t push hard enough to get blood on his clothing, but enough to make a point. The whole ordeal took more than twenty seconds before he was up and moving.

I shifted to sit up, dazed as I ran a hand against my neck. I could feel it, the bite mark he had left. Deep inside of me, I could feel a purr rising to the surface. He had just marked me as his, staked his claim, and it had taken me getting him angry for him to do it. Nothing else. No other physical contact initiated. Not even a kiss. He was punishing me, making me know that he owned my body and soul now, and there was not a damn thing I could do. I could only hope that the wound would heal fast enough because I refused to be the butt of anyone’s jokes.

Voices brought me out of my reverie as another set of hands encircled my waist. It was from Jack. She was hugging herself to me as if I could ward away the evil. I hugged her back for a moment as I tried to focus on the words. While I was concentrating, I felt Jack shift my hair around to cover my neck on the side that Riddick bit me before she smirked at me. She could tell something was going on, and I knew that she was an ally. Slowly everything around me was coming back into focus. I could hear the sounds, smell the scents as they came, but there was something new.

When he bit me, he had formed a connection, and I felt a small sliver of the convict. I felt a ghost of emotion as it passed between us – amusement, mirth, and a tad too much masculine pride. He was happy with what he had done and, well, I couldn’t blame him. If I had been in the same situation, I probably would have reacted the same way. There was no escape for me now. I belonged to Riddick.

“Why was the door chained up? Why the bloody hell would they lock themselves in like that?”

The question hung in the air for a moment as I stood slowly. Moving my way over to the coring pit, making sure that Rididcks bite mark wasn’t showing, I got close enough to peer down the hole. It was littered with bones. Row after row of bones.

“Other buildings weren’t secure… so they ran here. Heaviest doors. Thought they’d be safe inside. but...someone forgot to lock the cellar.”

The words sent a shiver down my spine. I could see just how deep it was even without John’s throwing one of his flares down the hole. Whatever had come out of the ground and gone back into it had killed all the people here. We weren’t going to find any survivors. Why bother? It was pointless to think we would. Closing my eyes, I tried to steady my emotions for a moment. I needed a clear head if we were going to assess the situation. I could hear the soft conversation between Shazza and Riddick, and while I should be jealous, I wasn’t. He was standing close enough to me now that I could feel his heat on my back.

Once I was grounded enough that I could focus, I opened my eyes, slid my goggles back in place, and turned. We needed to get out of here – to think, to fix the skiff, and get off this fucking rock. I needed to get outside in the sunshine. It was too hard, too bad to be in here. It was cramped and stuffy. On the way out, I heard Fry and the others talking, and I wanted to roll my eyes. Of course, it wasn’t going to be easy to get off this planet, and it sounded like the darkness was going to creep in. Even though I could see in the dark, I didn’t want to be here when it hit.

“Let’s board this up and get the hell gone. They seem to stick to the dark so if we stick to daylight, should be all–”

“Twenty years ago.”

“Wha’?”

“Coring samples. All dated twenty years ago, this month.”

I watch as they move away and out to another building. I don’t need to go there to know what Carolyn was talking about. Fry found something that had shown that there was going to be darkness here, but my concern was how long. How long would it last? Would we be able to get all of these people on that tiny skiff and off this planet before we all died?

Moving closer to the building, if nothing else than to stay in visible sight of the others, I heard the all gather around the machine. I watched as they moved the wheels to show how the planets aligned at the twentieth year to form an eclipse – a full and total eclipse. Fry ran it once more, signaling one full year, and then the eclipse was over. One whole fucking year of these creatures roaming free to kill and feed. We wouldn’t make it a year.

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

“You’re not afraid of the dark, are you?”

I giggled at that last line. Leave it Riddick to once again point out why he was superior to Johns. For a merc, he really was a fucking chickenshit. Why was it every time Riddick said something, it made me giggle? If he was trying to scare them, he was succeeding.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The damned woman was fuckin’ stupid. Goin’ down in that hole and not havin’ a weapon. It almost made me forget she grew up in a slam. Well, I thought she grew up in a slam. She had traits that led me to believe she did. The moment I saw her lyin’ there covered in blood, I knew I had to act. What is it about this woman that drives me crazy? What makes me want to drop everythin’ and go help her? That’s what I needed to figure out.

With her in my arms, I carried her back inside to the confines of the ship. We didn’t have any water or nothin’ like that, so I had to filch some alcohol from Paris. I cleaned her back as much as I could, knowin’ that on some level, she could feel the pain. Her back was covered in scratches and rends, those fuckin’ things rippin’ her to shreds. I would make Johns pay for this one way or another.

As I was cleanin’ the wounds, she roused. I didn’t expect her to stay down long; those of us with a fightin’ spirit like she had weren’t. She was movin’, and it was making me angry. Didn’t she understand that it was only gonna make things worse in the end? I couldn’t fight back the growl or the demand that she quit movin’. Eventually, she stilled, and I finished wrappin’ the shreds of some random shirt I found around her cuts. They were tight enough to restrict the wounds from seepin’ too much but not so close they’d cut off the circulation.

We needed to get out of here. I knew we had to go back to the settlement that was supposedly found. I could hear Johns and the wanna-be pilot talking about the skiff. It wasn’t much, but it would be enough to get off this rock. I ignored the conversation between Jack and Autumn until my woman mentioned something interestin’. Her shivs were missin’. That would explain why she looked like she’d been run through a meat grinder. I was going to make him pay.

When the girls moved away, I left the ship. We didn’t have any other reason to stay there, and so we started walkin’. I needed to keep my head clear enough that I could plan. There were already two contingency plans coming up. We had to get off this ship, but how many of us would survive? Well, that was somethin’ for time to tell us.

I watched her as she slowly started to fade. Anyone that had lost blood and then be thrust out into the sun to walk would. It wasn’t smart. We had no water right now, and we could only hope they got it workin’ by the time we go there. I made sweet a moment with one of the survivors, watchin’ in amusement as he shrank away in fear.

I wasn’t even sure if we could call this crappy thin’ a settlement. It was tiny as fuck, and there weren’t that many buildin's, but it was clear somethin’ was missin’. Everyone seemed to scatter when we got here, and I headed off in my own direction. I was lookin’ for water for my girl. Spying the Arab man, I gave him a smile as I took a cup and filled it. It wasn’t for me, but they didn’t need to know that yet.

Movin’ forward, I found her. Not hard to miss her with her scent lingering in my nose like it was. She was leanin’ in the shade against a buildin’ and lookin’ like she was about to pass out. Passin’ her the water, I made sure she drank enough to be healthier. She had to have somethin’ to keep herself safe, and I sighed. I knew this was going to be advantageous, but why let her know I was thinkin’ of her when I made the smaller shiv? Pullin’ it out of my hidin’ spot, knowin’ she could see it, I handed it to her. The look on her face was enough.

I’d seen people look at weapons, but none had looked so touched as she had at that moment. It was as if I’d given her a gift worth a million cred or somethin’. I couldn’t fight the smile that graced my lips as she smiled at me. I told her not to lose it, and then I made my way away. It wouldn’t do any of us any good to linger. We had to keep a distance before the others tried to take us down again.

Goin’ to see if I could scare the others, I found Fry, Shazza, and Johns all talking about a ship.

“Nothing we can’t repair– so long as the electrical adapts.”

“It’s not a star-jumper.”

“Doesn’t need to be. Take a two-seater like this, up to the Sol-Trak Shippin’ Lanes, stick a thumb out. You’ll get picked up.”

I watched the heads as they swiveled to me, wonderin’ how I knew that. Yeah, I could pilot and wouldn’t they be sorry in the end. Leavin’ wasn’t all that hard with Johns’ tryin’ to tell me what to do. I would pretend to follow his orders, but do thin’s my way. Movin’ I headed out to look at the buildin’s. The corin’ room seemed to be the one with promise. I could hear the creatures inside of there, movin’ and shiftin’. This was probably the place the others ran too that were on this planet. Of course, I could also hear Jack as she spied on me. I had to give the girl credit. She was pretty damned good at gettin’ into places no one else did.

I hear Johns callin’ to me, and I go, callin’ for the girl to join me. We made our way inside to the others. I have to just fuck with them. They deserve it. All of them, but Autumn. She’s the only one in the entire fuckin’ room that doesn’t hate. I saved some of their lives, and they can’t even be grateful enough to talk to me. This conversation is gettin’ boring, and I speak out. No one wants to hear what I’m sayin’, but I’m not surprised. It’s her reaction to my words that made a small amount of shock run through me.

Never had I seen someone so adamant about somethin’. Autumn's words seemed to shock them into understandin’ that the two convicts were smart enough to figure out what was goin’ on. I watched her leave, but I couldn’t stop her. Now was not the time to play that hand. Later. We’d have some fun later. Thoughts started runnin’ through my head of all the thin’s I was gonna do to her when we were alone.

“Has anyone seen the little one? Ali?”

“Has anyone checked the Coring Room?”

I watched as they all take off runnin’. I took my time, at first, until I realized that Autumn wasn’t outside. I heard the scream before the others and took off runnin’. The door was locked with the same chains from before, and it pissed me off. I wanted to get in there. I could hear her cryin’ out in pain, and this time I could do something about it. Johns’ finally usin’ that big gage of his shot the door open and I took off. The others, they were waitin’ for the animals to flee. I didn’t have that kinda time.

I crashed to my knees as I saw her, her back ripped open and bloody again, and it made me growl. Lifitin’ her off the boy, I noticed that she had kept him safe. She had a soft spot for children too. Somethin’ to think on later. Movin’ into the darkness where I knew the other’s wouldn’t look, I started to clean her wounds again. Each one made me see red, and it was only through a severe force of will that I managed to keep from yellin’ at her.

I snapped, though. The animal inside of me demanded that Autumn understand that she was mine. My Mate, mine to protect and to keep safe. I wanted her to understand this, but she started to argue. The bitch had the nerve to try to tell me that I didn’t own her. We’d see who was right in the end. The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could really think. My animal already snappin’ to the surface and takin’ over.

I pushed my body at her, lettin’ her feel me. What I did next, I knew it would haunt me, but there was no other choice. I needed to mark her – to let the others know that she was claimed. Bitin’ down on her neck right where her shoulder met.. it was somethin’ else. I could feel the blood in my mouth, and it tasted divine. No, I didn’t usually drink the blood of the people I killed, but this really was somethin’ else. The animal inside of me purred around the bite as I felt her react. She might not have realized it, but the woman underneath me clutched me to her. I realized it when I knew she was marked well and good. It would be there forever, a sign for others not to fuck with us.

I had to leave, though, push away from her and go talk to the others. I knew what happened to ‘em, and it wasn’t hard to deduce. It was funny, though, how scared they were of just a few words. They knew I was right, but it scared them to understand that the thin’s we saw fly outta here were dangerous to us all. We all left the buildin’ not too long after that, and I made sure that my woman was in sight. I wouldn’t let her get hurt again. Not if I could help it.


	6. Understanding

It wasn’t that hard to see that we needed to get the cells and then get off this rock, but everyone still seemed to be stalling. With my back healing from the cuts made trying to protect Ali and the bite mark on my neck throbbing, I knew I needed to find something to focus on. Hiding had always been a skill of mine and one that I was going to employ. I saw the state that we were in, and I knew that the longer we waited, the worse things were going to be. Why couldn’t they see that?

Even after everything that had been discovered, we needed to get back to the ship and get more power cells if we were going to make it off this rock. There was no question about that. Moving softly and slowly, I climbed up on top of the building closest to the skiff. From here, I was hidden in the shade, and the other’s couldn’t see me. I knew that Riddick would understand where I was, regardless of how I hid. I wasn’t foolish. I knew what he had done to me, but now was not the time to sit and analyze the ramifications of such an act. We were both primitive in nature, he and I. So why should it matter that he had marked me adequately as his mate? It was a signal to the other creatures and animals around that I was off-limits, for good.

From my vantage point, I could hear Fry and Johns’ talking and plotting. They always seemed to do that, as if they were the only two that could have any say in the matters. I knew what Johns was trying to do. He was trying to shake the captain’s faith in the convict, and myself, hoping that he could remain in charge for as long as possible. With Johns in charge, we were sure to all die out here.

“...need those cells from the crash ship. Shit, still gotta check out the hull, patch the wings--”

“Let’s wait on the power cells.”

“Wait for what? Until It’s so dark, we can't even find our way back to--”

“We’re not even sure _when_ it happens, so let’s not--”

“GET THE FUCKING CELLS OVER HERE, JOHNS. What’s the discussion.”

I heard the pause in the conversation, and I knew the rest that was coming. Johns was going to try to convince her that she didn’t need to get the cells right now because of Riddick. Honestly, we were their best chance of getting off this planet. They were lucky I never learned to pilot, or they’d be in for a world of hurt. With two of us, things would be even more dangerous. No, Riddick would have to be my guide for now, and a part of me wanted to know where he learned it. To me, the man was still a mystery. I didn’t know his past, and he didn’t know mine.

“He can pilot?”

“Hijacked a prison transport, made a helluva good run ‘fore I tracked him down.”

Okay, maybe that’s a _good_ thing. Maybe I can use him to help with--”

“He also figured out how to kill the pilot.”

That didn’t surprise me. Then again, from what I could gather of the conversation, Johns was leaving a lot out. Yes, if you steal a prison transport, you will eventually have to kill the pilot if they don’t cooperate. I didn't see what the problem was. Riddick hadn’t killed innocents, the blood that dripped from his shivs were only the blood of those that tried to hurt him. To kill him. He never killed women if he could help it, or children at all. To me, that made him a far more stand up guy than the damned pretend cop down there.

“May’ve noticed the chains don’t work on this guy. Only way we’re truly safe is if he believes he’s going free. But if he stops believing…”

“You mean if he learns that you’re gonna royally fuck him over.”

“We need a fail-safe. Bring the cells over at the last possible minute -- when the wings are ready when we _know_ we’re ready to launch.”

“You know, he hasn’t harmed any of us. Far as I can tell, he hasn’t even lied to us. Just stick to the deal, Johns. Let him go if that’s what it--”

“He’s a murderer. The law says he’s gotta make his bid.”

“You’re dancing on razor blades here.”

“I won’t give him a chance to grab another ship -- or slash another pilot’s throat. Or her. We know nothing about her except that she’s a convict the same. ”

I was disgusted with this conversation. It always killed me to know that people were so busy staying in their own deluded worlds that they never gave anything else a chance. Riddick wasn’t the bad guy here; he’d made sure of that when I’d gone down that blasted hole. Yet here was Johns trying to convince Fry that we couldn’t be trusted because of the lot we’d been handed in life. How could anyone like her, possibly understand what it was like? How could any of them?

When you’re in the slam, there’s no time to think or wail at your misfortune. It’s kill or be killed, and only the strongest will live to see another day. It’s the constant fight to stay alive, the preparation for killing someone that might shiv you in your sleep just for the hell of it. It's always alert, never allowed to rest or sleep. She was soft, pliant and someone that would never understand because of her lot in life.

Satisfied that I wasn’t going to learn anything more at the current situation, I slunk my way off my hiding spot and went elsewhere. I needed to think. They knew about Riddick, what he was capable of. But no one really knew me aside from my name, the fact that I wore goggles like Riddick, and probably had a prison shine. Johns had everyone convinced I was a convict, and he wasn’t wrong. There was something to be said about it, though. I wasn’t a convict by choice, merely circumstance. Riddick was the same. When you fight against the wrong that people try to do to you, and you get punished for it, that’s where the real problem was.

Those of us not really in charge were starting to gather around the water machine, hoping we could stave off the pain of what was coming. It wasn’t easy to know that I really was the only one out here that genuinely trusted Riddick. Was I strong enough to protect him should I need to? He marked me, something I knew I would need to talk to him about later. The thing was, I wasn’t sure I was upset about it either. It wasn’t like he didn’t command me as an alpha could, it was just who he was.

When I was away from the others in a shady spot, I saw everyone else finish their work as I sat and waited. I didn’t have to wait too long before I was joined by someone. From the smell, it was Jack. “What’s up, Jack?” I asked, somewhat amused that she wasn’t off stalking Riddick. She’d seem to form some sort of hero-worshiping complex with the convict. Not that I minded. Out of everyone that had been around, he was the best choice. He hadn’t tried to kill her, and he did seem at least somewhat concerned about her safety too.

“I’m bored. The others, they aren’t too into sharing about themselves. Can you tell me about how you got those eyes? I heard Riddick’s story, but I don’t even know if it’s true, and Johns keeps calling you a convict. Yet he knows nothing about you.”

I bit my lip as I looked at her, moving my goggles up a small bit so that she could see the shine job. It was indeed something that happened in prison. I wasn’t sure how much of my life story I should divulge to her, simply because it was the only thing I had left that was me. If I started to tell these people who I was, then they would only fear me more. Was that a bad thing? Maybe, because in the end, it was going to come down to Riddick and myself being their means off this planet.

“It’s a long and rather unusual tale, but I trust you enough to tell you the whole story. I guess I should probably start with my age. I’m twenty-five years old, even though I don’t look like it. You see, my story started even before I was born. My mother, my biological mother, was seven months pregnant when she was falsely imprisoned. At least that’s the story that was told after I was old enough to understand it. See what a lot of people like them, like Fry and Shazza and the others, don’t know is that most of the people in the slams aren’t there because they honestly deserve it.”

I paused a moment so that I could gather my thoughts. I didn’t want to be babbling on if she wasn’t even going to listen. Her head nodded, and she leaned back against the shop near me as if she was ready to prepare for the long haul of the story. Honestly, I wasn’t used to having an audience that wanted to know about what happened to me. A strange feeling welled up inside of me, maybe this was what it felt like to have a true friend?

“I don’t know the whole story. Hell, I don’t even know her name. My mother was taken to Butcher Bay, and that was where she had me. No one expected me to live. If you’ve ever been in a slam, then you know that the conditions that they have are not the kind that makes it easy for anyone, especially children, to live. Three days after I was born, my mother was shivved in her sleep and died. I have no idea who my father even is. When it was clear that I wouldn’t just keel over as a child, one of the guards took me in. She treated me as if I was her own kid. As a young child, I was often doing things for them. Fetching them something, and at times, helping them figure out which of the prisoners might be the next killed.

As a kid, no one really took care of what they said around me. Who was going to believe me anyway, right? Well, one of the inmates, Matlock, took me under his wing. He raised me, taught me to fight, to speak proper. He wanted me to have a chance to find a new life if I did manage to escape. No one would take a convict seriously, but If I sounded like an educated woman, then I had a better chance to get away. So he taught me to read, to walk correctly, to speak like I wasn’t a convict. He was the only family I’d ever had. The one father I’d ever known.

I was ten when things changed for me. No one expected a kid that young to be able to fight, to be able to get the guards off my back. They didn’t know how well I had been trained by Matlock, either. They thought I was old enough to start doing _certain_ favors for them, of the sexual kind. In truth, I didn’t know what they really wanted, but I knew I didn’t want to do anything. I hated the guards, even if they had been helpful to me when I was little. I fought hard and ended up killing two of the guards. I mean, I was ten years old. No one expected that.

I wasn’t fast enough to get away, though, mostly because I froze in shock after I realized what I had done. They should have killed me, but they couldn't. Not because I was some super badass killer, but because the other convicts would revolt. See, most of the ones that made it had this aversion to hurting children. If it was found out you were in there for doing anything wrong to a child, you usually were shivved in your sleep the first night. So they knew that none of the prisoners would really tolerate me being killed. Instead, they came up with another option.

There was this doctor, Pope Joe. They forced him to do the unthinkable. I was strapped down to the bed, and he was forced to give me a shine job. I was so young, still only ten. It’s rare for someone to survive because of the pain. It’s so much pain that no one really understands it until they get involved in the procedure. Of the ones that do survive, even less can see. In fact, aside from myself, I only know of one other person to be able to see after the procedure. See, rule number one in the slam is that you keep yourself alive at all costs. They threatened to kill Pope Joe, and he did what they wanted. I haven’t seen color since that day.”

I stopped a moment, feeling a tear slip down my face. I hated talking about this. It wasn’t like anyone could do anything to fix it. I would never see colors again, bright lights would always be a weakness. The fact that I had managed to survive that much pain should have been a clue not to fuck with me. I knew that Jack needed to know more. She needed to hear more about why I was, in fact, on the ship and how I got there. It would come, but she wouldn’t get every detail of my life. Nope, there were things I still planned to keep to myself.

Leaning back against the building, I closed my eyes as I wiped away the tear. I could feel Jack shift and wrap an arm around me. It was as if she was trying to find her own way to comfort me. In truth, I don’t know what it’s like to have someone care for me, to comfort me. On the rare days when I was upset, Matlock would just leave me alone to deal with it. Eventually, I’d get away and deal with what I needed to and be back to being myself.

“After the shine job I had to relearn to walk, to see. It’s not the same, this vision, but it’s not hard. With my sight changed, I learned to be a better hunter. My sense of smell enhanced, and my sense of hearing. I would almost bet I’m right on par with Riddick. That isn’t to say that anyone here is in danger by me, except maybe Johns. I don’t like mercs. They kill more innocent people than the convicts do. It was supposed to be the most fitting punishment they could imagine. Why ruin a child that is popular and protected by the prisoners? That would only start a riot. Instead, take away the possibility of her ever being able to see. Only it backfired on them too.

The dead guards were not going to come back, and my vision was finally clear. I could see things in the dark better than anyone else in the Bay. It was Matlock who found me the goggles I wear now, who helped me learn to hone my other senses. See, when something happens to your sight, your body adjusts. Mine started to enhance my sense of smell and my sense of hearing. It made it that much harder for the others to sneak up on me. It would be seven years before anything else happened. It was on my seventeenth birthday that I got the letter from Matlock. He knew his time was up, he wasn’t strong enough to fight off the attackers. Everyone wanted the prime real-estate that the Bay had to offer and a lot of people would get shivved in their sleep to take it.

He sent me a letter, telling me to trust the animal inside of me, the animal that had never let me down. He also told me to escape, that it was possible because one other person had done it, and they also had the shine. It was a wild dream, but I did manage to escape. In all honesty, it was easier than I thought and didn’t require anyone to be killed. I managed to shape some metal and things lying around into my likeness and snuck out just before the final ‘bell’ for bed. No one ever checked the tunnels because they didn’t think that anyone would be stupid enough to leave that way. I was outside on the planet within ten minutes, showered, changed, fed, and stowed away on an off-world ship within fifteen. Been escaped since I boarded the Hunter Gratzner. Look, the only thing that you really need to know is this, Jack. I know your secret, and I would die to protect you, alright?”

As I finished my part of the story, leaving out a few key things she didn’t need to know, I heard the others get ready to board the sand cat. Standing, I pulled the young woman with me. We headed towards our transport, and I sighed when I saw it. The thing was solar, and with an eclipse led the way we needed to get a move on. Climbing aboard, I helped Jack on and watched as she sat facing. Everyone but Riddick and Johns were on the transport, and there wasn’t much I could do about that. As we moved closer towards the sand cat, we saw it. The thing that we didn’t want to admit was happening. The danger was just around the corner.

“What do my eyes see?”

“It’s starting…”

I watched as the planets move, the rings of the next world coming into view and knew that we wouldn’t make it back before the eclipse started. We’d wasted too much time too early, and now we were going to pay for it. If only we could have started sooner. Yes, that wouldn’t have been such a problem. Except now we were late, those idiots wasting more time than they should have arguing facts over logic.

“If we need anything from the crash ship-- I suggest we kick on. That sand cat's solar.”

I watch as everyone scrambles to get aboard the sandcat. I find a spot in the back, there are two empty seats, and Jack sits in front of me facing towards me. I know what I told her, but I don’t know what she thinks about it. I very well could have signed my own death warrant by telling her such information. She was safe from me, and I would die to protect her if I needed too. What more did anyone want? I take a moment to look at Zeke and notice that he seems as stoic as ever. I just hope that all of us can make it off this planet alive. I don’t want to lose anyone. Well, alright, that’s not entirely true. I wouldn’t mind if we were short Johns or Fry by the end of this.

Before anyone could focus too much, the words were out of my mouth. I couldn’t help it. Not all of us were going to fit, and someone needed to stay behind and make sure that the patch job we did was going to last. It wouldn’t do any of us any good to all go out and once. With a sigh I touched the shoulder of Paris and Zeke, knowing they’d look at me to see what I wanted.

“Not all of us can fit on the sandcat. Someone needs to stay behind in the ship. There should be enough power to keep the interior lights on and not send the animals inside. We just can’t have the added weight. Zeke stays, you’re still injured, and these creatures will probably try to go after you first. Paris, do you want to stay with him?”

I watched as they thought about what I said. The sand-cat really was a tiny thing. We would be lucky if it managed to hold all of us plus the cells on the way back. With a nod, I watched as Zeke spoke to Shazza and then went off into the skiff, Paris, following behind. I only suggested Paris because I didn’t think the man would actually be any help to us on this trip. He’s too much of a wuss to do anything towards the creatures and, at least with Zeke there, one of them stood a chance of surviving.

I wanted to send Jack in with them, but she would never leave me behind. I couldn’t expect her to do so. She’d know that I knew something was up, and we didn’t need that yet. Everyone else climbed aboard the vehicle, and we started to make our journey. I noticed that as we took off, the bed of the cat shook, and Riddick settled himself beside me. There was something about the convict being next to me that offered me a sense of strength. I watched as Jack settled in across from the two of us, facing Riddick as we moved. The convict shifted and pulled me closer to him with an arm across my stomach and hips. He was holding me close as if he was afraid that we might hit something and I could go flying off.

I wanted to leave Johns behind, and when we started taking off, and the man was running alongside, I almost laughed until Riddick pulled him aboard. Maybe if we had left him, then we wouldn’t have to deal with him being stupid later. We couldn’t get that lucky, though. I watched as he settled on the other side of me, glaring at both Riddick and myself. _Keep staring at me like that, Johns, and it won’t be Riddick that shivs you._ With a frustrated sigh, I turned and snuggled some into the warm embrace of the convict. He was the one thing that was helping me keep my head in all of this.

The sandcat moved over the sand and through the bones that we passed to get here, and I watch as Riddick says nothing to Jack but only points. The young girl ducks in time to avoid a rib that would have taken her head off at the speed we were going. It was hard to stifle the chuckle at that, to know that she should have been paying attention to her surroundings instead of watching us. Shifting so that we wouldn’t be hit by the ribs I could feel myself lean more against Riddick than before.

As we exited the boneyard, I felt the sand cat slowing down, and I worried that something was happening. That was when I saw Jack jump up and start to wipe at the glowing orb in the center. The more dust and sand she knocked off, the faster we seemed to go. It was a good idea, but this type of vehicle honestly wasn’t made to go at this speed, for that very reason. Still, we made it back to the crashed ship in a decent amount of time. Bodies start to scramble off as we pull to a stop.

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I had no doubt that Johns was off spoutin’ things about me to anyone that would listen. He wanted them afraid of me, knowin’ that if given a chance, I’d leave his ass here. He was hopin’ that if he could get the others to hate me, then maybe they’d be able to convince me to let him come with us. Not a likely scenario. Not after the way, he treated my woman and the others around. He was honestly one last stupid remark away from meetin’ the business end of my shiv.

I knew they were probably talkin’ about me but what had me intrigued was my girl. She was crawlin’ her way up and over the hot metal of the buildin’ to get a closer look at Johns and Fry. I needed to evaluate why my animal kept callin’ her, my girl. She’s the first person I’d ever marked and would be the last. That’s how it worked. When an animal found a mate that was their mate for life, The only way she’d be free of me is if she died. I would not let that happen. Her death would send me on a killin’ spree that would only end with my own.

Watchin’ I see Johns storm away from the skiff and Carolyn, and I have to smile. He’s such a creep. I don’t know why the others don’t pick up on it. Maybe they ain’t got the same sensitivities that I do, that she does. I’d seen the way that mystery woman, Autumn, would scrunch up her nose whenever Johns came around. The smell surroundin’ him was atrocious. As Johns stalks my way I can’t help but get a dig in on him.

“Bad sign. Shakin’ like that in this heat.”

He doesn’t respond, and I know it’s because he’s waitin’ for somethin’. He doesn’t want to make a scene what with the chrislams coming this way with the Vectran. They had found us stuff to use to patch up the wings of the ship. It was a smart move, really. I went to work with them to cut off the strips and help make sure they would have enough to keep us safe. When I was convinced that they wouldn’t mess this up, I took my leave.

Now was my chance to intimidate the captain all on my own. Maybe if I struck a bit of fear into her, I would know if she was worth the time. It isn’t hard to imagine that, despite my saving of Zeke, that she’s terrified of me. They only know the rep, they don’t see the man. I would doubt that if given a choice, she would act any differently. She didn’t strike me as the smartest of the women out there, not like Shazza or Autumn. Those two women I would protect, try to make sure they left this planet alive. Fry, well, unless she started to show me, she was worth a damn her terms might need to be re-evaluated. Steppin’ aboard the skiff, I make sure the hatch closes behind me.

“Looks like we’re a few shy..Power cells.”

“They’re coming.”

“Strange, not doin’ a run-up on the main drive yet. Strange unless he told you the particulars of my escape.”

“I got the quick-and-ugly version.”

“An’ now you’re worried about a repeat of history?”

“Entered our minds.”

“I asked what _you_ thought.”

“You scare me, Riddick. That’s what you wanna hear, isn’t it? There, I admit it, can I get back to work now?”

I watch the blonde in front of me with anythin’ but amusement. She didn’t have the balls to be completely honest. I knew she was afraid of me, I could smell it, but there was somethin’ else. She was into bad boys, hopin’ that I’d take her and show her a good time, but she had another thin’ comin’. I didn’t like stupid women, and she was stupid. I knew she was nothin’ more than the dockin’ pilot. Probably hadn’t even earned anythin’ past a class two license and yet she was actin’ like she was the big bad captain.

“Think Johns is a do-right man? You think I can trust him to cut me loose?”

“Why, what’d you hear?”

“Well, guess if it was trickeration he’d just do me, huh? Then again… I am worth twice as much alive. Didn’t know? Johns ain’t a cop. Oh, he’s got that shiny badge an’ all, but Nah-- he’s just a merc, and I’m just a payday. That’s why he won't kill me. The creed is greed.”

I watch her for a moment. I can see the realization that she’d been buyin’ into the hype. She was so damn easy to read. I could see her mind goin’ through the scenarios, hopin’ that she hadn’t put her trust in the wrong man. Maybe if she had trusted Autumn from the beginnin’ when the girl said that I could be trusted, they wouldn’t be in this mess. _Well sugar it’s too late to go back on that. You just gotta sit there and take it like the wannabe you are._

“Save it, Riddick. We aren’t gonna turn on each other-- no matter how hard you try.”

That right there pissed me off more than I wanted to admit. I wasn’t tryin’ to do anythin’ to them. I just wanted them all to see the reality of the situation. They were putting their trust in a man who killed innocent children to capture me. Who would kill all of them if he thought they got in the way of his big payday. I knew that gettin’ off this planet wasn’t goin’ to be easy, but Fry had just signed her own death warrant. I wouldn’t protect her.

“I don’t truly know what’s gonna happen when the lights go out, Carolyn -- but I do know that once the dyin’ starts, this little psycho family of ours is gonna rip itself apart. So you better find out the truth. Come nightfall, you better know exactly who’s standin’ behind you. Oh, ask him ‘bout the shakes. And ask why your crew-pal had to scream like that ‘fore he died.”

I watched as the blonde shook under the knowledge I’d just given her. It was too late for her to redeem herself, but maybe she could stop Johns from doin’ something stupid. I left the ship,m but didn’t go too far. Not yet. I wanted to see the interaction between the two. I wanted to watch him lie his way out of this one. It was almost anticlimactic really, the confrontation between Fry and Johns.

“Who are you really? You’re not a real cop, are you? Just some mercenary who goes around talking about the law like --”

“Never said I was.”

“Never said you were a hype, either.”

“You have a little caffeine in the morning, I have a little morphine. So what?”

“And here you got two mornings every day. Wow, were you _born_ lucky?”

“Not a problem unless you’re gonna make it---”

“ _You_ made it a problem when you let Owens die like that. When you had enough drugs to knock him out like a fucking mule-team”

“Owens was already dead. His brain just hadn’t caught on to that fact.”

“Anything _else_ we should know about you, Johns? Christ, here I am letting you play games with our lives when--”

That’s when I saw it. I saw Johns movin’ to show her the spot on the one time I missed. I had gone for the sweet spot, but somehow, Johns had shifted just right, and I was off target. It was the only time, ever, that I had. I would make it up to him, oh yes. I wouldn’t miss it again. If I went for Johns he’d be dead this time, and I would be happy about it.

“My first run-in with Riddick. He went for the sweet-spot and missed it. They had to leave a piece of the shiv in there. I can feel it, sometimes, pressing against the cord. So maybe the care and feeding of my nerve-endings is my business.”

“You coulda helped. And you didn’t.”

“Yeah, well, look to thine own ass first. Right, Captain?”

I knew they were done with this conversation. I hadn’t expected much more. Movin’ from my spot, I noticed that Jack and my girl were sittin’ down under some shade. That was probably the best idea. Neither one of them would be allowed to help patch up the ship. Jack because everyone thought she was too young and Autumn because they thought of her as a convict. She hadn’t actually hurt anyone here. She’d actually saved people, but apparently, that wasn’t enough for these people. Movin’ I climb my way across the rooftops to settle by the girls.

I shouldn’t have done that. Not because they knew I was there, they didn’t, but because I didn’t want to hear the story that was pourin’ out of her mouth. No one should ever have to deal with that. Her story, though, it wasn’t a lie. I’d be able to tell. I could smell the lies on people, and she was giving off nothing but fear and trepidation. So afraid of what Jack would say or think about her.

_There were rumors about a girl that was born in the Bay. A girl that had the shine job done at a young age. They were just that, though, rumors. I hadn’t thought they were through because it was unfathomable to even think that. How could anyone do that willingly to a child?_

My own thoughts betrayed me. I listened to the story and could feel the animal in me rise up demandin’ justice. She was just a girl, who was mostly an orphan. Forced to live on a slam planet with barely any light. Matlock was a good man. I had tried to find a way to get him free of the slam, too, but he wouldn’t. Now I understood why. He was protectin’ her, raisin’ her, even when I had been in that slam. What really set me off was knowin’ that they had tried to rape her. Her only defense had been to fight back, and as punishment, they sent her through the worst pain possible.

Right there, I made a vow that if we got free of this planet, we’d go back and exact justice for her. No one, even a woman, should ever be put through that. I chose it, she didn’t. There’s a difference. I wanted this done, allowed it to be done. She was strapped down and operated on like some sick science experiment. The growl that rose up in me, I didn’t even bother to tamp down. I was angry, my mate was abused by people, and they were goin’ to pay with their life. After my claim to her was final.

Even now as I sat there watchin’ her, I could feel the bite on her neck throb. I knew our bond was formin’, but we needed more contact. I hadn’t fully taken her yet, and when I did, the relationship would be formed completely. Damn I wish there was time for that now but if the look of the planets descendin’ was any indication we had even less time than we thought.

I watched the others scramble to the ship, and I knew we had to go. I know what she knows. This tiny little vessel won’t hold all our weight. Even if we did manage to get to the ship, when you add on the weight of the power cells, not all of us were goin’ to fit. She was smart, though, tellin’ two of the others to stay back. Her choice was solid, and I was proud. Zeke needed to stay behind, his wound would be signal enough for them. Paris, too, he was such a weak little man that I’d probably kill him just to save myself the headache.

I jumped onto the back of the sand-cat and pulled the girl to me. She was mine to protect, and I liked the way she felt in my arms. I could feel her realxin’ settling exactly where I wanted her to be. As we were takin’ off, I noticed that Johns had joined us yet. I did not want him stayin’ behind. He’d find some way to prevent Autumn and I from leavin’, and we couldn’t have that. So when he got by the side of the cart, I hauled him up so he could join us. I didn’t care that he was scowlin’ at me the whole time. I was showin’ him who the better man was, after all, I did get the girl.

Jack was starin’ at us with an amused expression on her face and was about to miss the ribs that would take her head off. Pointin’, I watched as she ducked just in time, and I felt the chuckle from the woman in my arms. She was amused, and that was good. Amusement could help mask the fear, and none of us needed to be afraid. The scent of fear would call these thin’s to us almost as fast as blood would. When the cat stopped, I hopped off to go help lug the cells, not really wantin’ to leave the girl but not really havin’ much choice.


	7. Fight or Flight

It wasn’t long before the sandcat came to a complete stop and the others were trying to find a way to get to the cells. We needed to get things going to get out of this mess. Hopping off the unit, I moved to modify the metal sled-- the one that they used to transport the dead bodies on. We were going to need it if we were supposed to drag another four cells over to the ship. Why couldn’t anyone see that we should have done this sooner? At least then, we wouldn’t be rushed into getting off this planet. No, instead, we wasted time so that Johns could play the hero and try to lead us.

I watched as the others raced around, trying to get the last minute needed supplies. I also watched as Johns came back to the sandcat struggling with one cell while Riddick quickly walks out with two, one on each shoulder. The sheer muscles of the man were enough to make me stop breathing. I couldn’t help but find him sexy. Everything he did was primal, animal, and all about survival. It called to me on a level I didn’t understand. Turning away, so he wouldn’t notice my arousal at him just walking up, I went to go see if anyone else needed help. We were running out of time.

Casting a glance up to the sky, I noticed that the eclipse was happening faster than we thought possible. We were not going to make it back to the settlement before the eclipse was upon us. This was not something I was happy with. I wanted to rage against the injustice of it all. Why would fate allow me to escape a place like Butcher Bay only to crash land on a ship, and face my possible death on a planet that had a year-long eclipse? It doesn’t seem fair at all.

I watched in awe as the sunlight drifted into darkness. We were not going to make it, but that didn’t matter at the moment. Lifting up my goggles, letting my silver-shined eyes stare into the night... I could see it. The creatures pouring out of the spires in a beautiful display. Maybe I was the only one that thought they were beautiful, one animal to another. I can hear Fry yelling and watch as the others stop what they are doing to take note around us.

“Don’t stop! Don’t stop!”

Turning my head, I watched as the others start to run, but it won’t be enough. They are too slow, and nowhere near in enough shape as myself or Riddick. Spending your entire life fighting to stay alive had its advantages. It kept us lean machines of muscle and speed. We would be the ones that got them through this, or we would watch them die. It was now their choice. Now was the time for them to fear us and to fear the things coming from the ground. Oh yes, this was going to be the moment of their choosing. Either way, they were with the convicts, or they were with the ones that thought we would kill them.

“Just a suggestion, but perhaps we should flee?”

“Cargo hold, everyone in the cargo hold. Lesgo, lesgo, lesgo.”

I turned to snap at them, but a voice distracted me. It’s Riddick. He’s staring up at the sky and comment on the beautifulness of the creatures. I couldn’t agree more. Maybe it’s merely because we are animals, but we can appreciate the way others act. While they might very well eat us for dinner, we can still understand how beautiful their approach and attack are. It doesn’t make us crazy, just a whole lot more in tune with the animal natures inside of us.

The only ones left that haven’t run are me, Riddick, and Shazza. I take off, tackling the prospector woman to the ground, and securing my arm around her. I would not lose her, not after we risked our lives to save Zeke’s. I felt a body land on my own, and an arm securely wraps around myself. It was Riddick. His smell encompassed me as he sniffed my neck. I knew he was scenting me, trying to assure himself that I was still alive and would make it out of this ordeal.

As we landed, we heard the screech of a patrol of those creatures veer over us. Thankfully, we were laying low enough that they flew right over our heads. I heard it, the heavy erratic breathing of Shazza next to me. It was my job to keep her safe, yet I, myself, was slightly scared. We needed to get out of here, but they weren’t done flying over. I could feel her move as if to get up. No. This wouldn’t happen. She wasn’t strong enough to get me to let her go, not right now at least.

“No Shazza. We wait. They aren’t done. If you go now, you will die. I will release you when it’s safe.”

I could hear the others at the ship yelling-- wanting us to get up and run, but we knew better than they did. I could listen to the sounds of the creatures, calling out to each other, demanding answers to what was happening. They were communicating on their own level that we couldn’t understand. I didn’t want anything happening to her. Not if it meant that she would become an ally later on. We needed friends, or at least people that could trust us, if we were to make it.

When the second set of creatures flew overhead, and I was sure they were gone, I released my hold on her. Riddick did the same to me, and the three of us ran to the cargo bay. We would be somewhat safe inside, at least we hoped we would. I watched as Riddick, again, paused at the doorway to the cargo hold. Fry nervously hung around as well. She was afraid to go out and see for herself, but she didn’t want to be alone on the inside as well.

“What is it? What’s happening?”

“Like I said. Ain’t me you gotta worry about.”

I wanted to smack Riddick for his comment, but it was effective. The others looked at us as if we were some mutant spawn. I could hear the thousands upon thousands of clicks of these creatures as they called out to each other and tried to rally their teams. They were like families, groups of fifteen or more. Each one having their own mission or objective as they flew free in the skies for the first time in twenty-two years. It was a sight to behold at least. I knew the other’s wouldn’t understand, but for now, I was happy just knowing that, at least from an animal perspective, I could understand these creatures' goals.

Huddled inside the cargo bay, in the absolute dark, I knew that only Riddick and I could see for sure. We would know if something was coming, but everyone wanted to talk at once. That was the hardest part for me, trying to focus on the clicking sound in all the din of everyone trying to chatter all at once. I watched as Shazza leaned against the wall, and Jack seemed to snuggle into her. It wasn’t bothersome to me, I needed my hands free in case protection became an issue.

“Well I don’t want to jump to conclusions here... but ‘member that boneyard? These just might be the fuckers that killed every other living thing on this planet, okay?”

“I saw the cut-marks on the bones. Wasn’t a natural die-off.”

“Quiet, please. Everyone.”

“Why do they make that sound?”

“Perhaps it’s the way they see. With sound reflecting back.”

“Echo-location. That’s what it is.”

I watched as they all tried to say their piece. I understood the fear that seemed to be coming from both Johns and Fry. They looked so sure that all of them were going to die. The one that was confusing to me was the Imam. He seemed resigned to let things play out as if this was something he dealt with daily. He seemed smarter than the others. It was amazing how none of them thought about all angles of what they were facing until someone else brought it up. If Fry or Johns thought they should lead this little group they better find a way to raise their I.Q’s significantly in the next few minutes.

I heard it, the click closer to us this time. Maybe it’s not in my head as I saw the others whip around and try to understand it as well. We all wanted to know how they might have ended up here in the cargo hold. This was supposed to be our secure spot. It was like we were in the settlement, just like the coring room. We thought we were safe, but we were far from it. The only way to be safe was to get off this damned planet and quickly.

“Breech in the hull. I dunno.”

All our eyes snapped to Fry. Honestly, sometimes I wished the woman would just shut up. It wasn’t as if we were stupid enough not to realize that there might be a breach when the ship went down. Anyone would know that if they paid any amount of attention to anything. I let out a soft growl, one that was only heard by the convict beside me. It was clear that I was not amused at all by Fry’s antics and I honestly was ready to just kill her so we could get the hell out of there without having to worry about her.

“C’mon, Johns. You’ve got the big gage.”

“I’d rather piss glass. Why don’t you go fucking check it out.”

I couldn’t fight back the loud giggle this time. Honestly, the way those two fought it was amusing. Of course, we expected Johns to go in first. He was supposed to be the big badass cop walking around with that gun. I couldn’t help it. The two best choices we had were myself and Riddick, and neither of us really wanted to go into the darkness. It would at least give us an advantage on what to expect from these creatures, for now at least. I watched as the sounds got louder, closer, and then I wondered just what was happening. A part of me was glad that I had suggested that Paris stay with Zeke. I could only see the man now freaking out and trying to drag himself further into the darkness, into their lair.

It wasn’t hard to see the others panic, and I watched as they all herded themselves into a tinier area. This wasn’t going to work. We needed to get to a place that had more room, at least room enough for us to get around and get to the cells. Standing here in one spot couldn't work. I watched as Riddick picked up the cutting torch, one that someone just kept lying around and started cutting into the wall. He was giving the others an idea and, when there was a hole big enough for each of us to go through, we climbed into the next area. It wasn’t going to be too hard to get ourselves trapped eventually.

As we settled into the second compartment, I could hear the creatures getting closer. Apparently, Johns took up Riddicks idea because he’s now cutting another path for us to go through. I don’t mind so much, as long as he keeps the light out of my eyes. For a moment, I frowned. The fire was up too high and nowhere near where it should be for cutting out a hole. We could not allow our fears to rule us now, as we tried to fight through it.

We kept moving from container to container until we find one large enough for us. It only took about five holes before that was the right one. As we moved into the last area, I watched as Fry and Jack started to move cargo to block the entrance hole. It was only going to work for a little while. These creatures had claws strong enough to rip through bone. A few boxes of cargo wasn’t going to stand in their way for long. I watched for a moment as Riddick added his weight before something distracted him.

I couldn't dwell too much on what he saw. I needed to focus on others. We needed to get a light source in here to kill these fuckers, at least for now. If we could clear out this space, we could be safe, if only for a small while. I moved around, fading into the darkness as I heard the sound of the torch burning once more. They were trying to make another hole. For now, we were stuck, and I could sense the creatures around me. I wondered how they could see if there was nothing to block the vibrations from them. A part of me was curious as I moved closer to Riddick, but not close enough that it would give away his position. I was, however, within arms reach should I have needed to do something.

Each of those creatures seemed to be studying us, precisely the two that could move quickly through the darkness. They hadn’t encountered anything like us before. They know that we know that. Yet it’s a staring match as we fight for dominance. I could hear their clicking getting louder as if they were getting angry at our unwillingness to bow to them. We, Riddick and myself, were the alphas there, and the sooner they realize it, the faster they can live, and we can be gone. Though I have no doubt that Riddick’s not about to show them what it truly means to be the alpha male.

Footsteps interrupted my study and I almost screamed out in frustration. Hassan... The Imam was going to have to explain to his sons why wandering off in the darkness wasn’t a good idea. I could hear the conversation between Riddick and the young boy, but I knew that Hassan wasn’t listening. Fear and panic were overriding his senses. There was no choice, we had to act. Because of the stupidity of this young man, our cover was blown. We weren’t going to get a chance to catch the creatures unawares.

I grabbed Hassan by the back of his robes and took off running. He was going to come with me, and he was going to make it back in one piece, or I would kill him myself. I could hear Riddick on my heels. He was letting me hear his footsteps so that I would know he was safe. As we rounded the corner and headed for the others, I had to fight back a scream. The light was in my eyes, and it hurt so bad that I shoved Hassan forward and dropped to my knees. Riddick didn’t fare much better, and I felt his weight come down on top of me, knocking the breath from my lungs. It was going to take us a moment to get adjusted to the darkness after having been flash-blinded.

Gunshots clearly rang out as I felt Riddick shift off of me and pull me up to him. We could see now, and I took a moment to snuggle into him. He rubbed at the corner of my eyes. I tried to open them, but they still hurt. With a soft moan of pain, I opened them and stared into his own. There was a concern there, a worry if I was alright, and I was touched. We could dwell on our feelings later. Right then we had to get out of this situation.

“There…”

"Looks like the light is scalding it.”

“It hurts them. Light actually hurts it.”

I turned so that my back was pressed up against Riddick's front as I stared at the others. His arms are wrapped around my waist, holding me close and making sure that I was, in fact, safe. It made me feel loved, which was unusual for me. Shaking my head and clearing my throat, I watched the looks as they flitted across everyone's faces. At this very moment, I didn’t give a shit what they thought. Johns was the only one that seemed truly upset about how close Riddick and I were.

“El-Imam. You’re going to have to explain to them the dangers of running away from the group. If I hadn’t been close enough to snatch Hassan away, he would be dead, little Ali too. They are curious, which mostly is fine but here, on this planet it is dangerous. They will die if they don’t respect that.”

I watched as the Arab man nodded and moved off to go speak with his followers in Arabic. I couldn’t understand what he was saying, but I knew he needed to convince them. If they ran off again on their own, they would die. I wouldn’t always be able to save them, and so far, I’d saved two of them. It wasn’t my place, not really. Now was the time to finalize our plan, we needed to get back to the settlement, and we couldn’t stay here. I watched as the others moved into action, going closer to each other so that they could form a plan together. I was almost impressed. It seemed as if Shazza didn’t have a problem volunteering up Paris’ stash of booze for their next idea.

“... One cutting torch... one hand light here, two more in the cabin... I think two more.”

“Spirits. Anything over 45 proof burns well.”

“How many bottles?”

“I think he had ten left?”

“We might be able to use the lights from the cabin. Aren’t there some fiberoptics in there?”

The plan seemed sound. If we could get enough light, we might be able to keep the creatures at bay until we got there. Only one problem. Riddick and I seemed to be the only one that remembered there was a canyon in the way. There was no way around it to the settlement. We were going to have to go straight through, and it wouldn’t be easy.

“Alright. So maybe we have enough light.”

“Enough for fucking what?”

“We stick to the plan. We get the four cells back to the skiff, we’re off this rock.”

“I hate to kill a beautiful theory with an ugly fact, but that sand-cat won’t run at night.”

“We’ll have to carry the cells..drag them.. whatever it takes.”

“You mean….tonight? With all those things still out there?”

I pulled Jack in close to me. I could feel her shaking in fear, and I understood it. She was nothing more than a child. She had stowed away on the ship, hoping to find a way out of the fear and pain she had been dealing with, only to land here. I would protect her, she had to believe that. I wouldn’t let anything happen to her if I could help it.

“Back it up. How long can this last? Few minutes? A couple of hours?”

“I had the impression… from the model..that there would be lasting darkness.”

“Those suns gotta come up sometime. And If these animals really are phobic about light, we just sit tight till then.”

“I’m sure that’s what someone else said. Locked inside that coring room.”

“Look, we gotta think about everyone now--the kids especially. How scared are they gonna be out there?”

“Don’t you dare use them like that, for a smokescreen. You deal with your own fear.”

“Why don’t you shut up for two seconds and let someone else come up with a plan that doesn’t involve mass suicide?”

The banter was giving me a headache. With a sigh, I pushed away from Riddick and moved into the darkness for a moment. It wasn’t a good plan, but it was our only plan. One of us would have to drag the cells to the settlement, and the other would have to be free to fight off the little buggers if they could. We were going to need to be united if we were going to make it, and yet they were falling about. I understood now what Riddick meant. This little fucked up family of ours was ripping itself apart. I took charge then and took over the banter with Johns. He was going to see things my way, or I was going to beat the shit out of him.

“How much you weigh Johns?”

“What the hell’s it matter?”

“How much?”

“79 kilos.”

“Because you’re 79 kilos of gutless white meat. And that’s why you’ve yet to come up with a better plan. Instead, you’re standing here wasting our time arguing over the only viable plan we have. Buck the fuck up.”

In all honesty, I didn’t know what he was going to do to me. I never expected him to really lunge at me or for Riddick to step in front of me. I watched in awe as the merc thought he was smart enough to try to put the muzzle of the shotgun underneath Riddick’s chin. As if the convict would let him get that close without something else on his mind. One thing people would never understand was that Riddick would protect a woman, even one he didn’t have feelings for if they were being harassed.

“Think about tha' rewards, Johns.”

“I’m willing to take a cut in pay.”

“You sure 'bout that?”

I laughed wholeheartedly this time as I watched as Riddick tapped his shiv against Johns’ lower anatomy. Riddick could move faster than the merc, and it was sure that he’d do a lot more damage before the shotgun could even go off. That was what was amusing. I watched as the merc backed down, acting like he was only giving into Riddick for the time being. I was watching them both studying their actions. Riddick would step in front of me again if Johns tried anything at all.

“They’re afraid of our light. That means we don’t have to be so afraid of them.”

“And you’re certain you can find the way back? Even in the dark?”

“No, I’m not. But _they_ can.”

I watched as they pointed to us. Riddick and myself, whom we knew it would come down to. I sighed and moved in closer to Riddick. We needed a plan for the two of us if we were going to get out of this alive. Right now, we needed to get all the lights up and ready to go the moment we cleared the cabin and into the sand. We were wasting time. I watch as we all trudge out of the cargo bay and into the cabin, there’s a bit of an opening that we have to go through to get there, the perfect chance for someone to get swept up by the creatures.

Johns and Riddick were going first, and I watched with amusement again as Riddick took every chance he could get to fuck with the merc. Johns would not be making it off this planet alive, but right now, Riddick was doing nothing more than toying with him. He was waiting for the final straw, the final push that sent his animal in full control. I could feel it in the air, scenting it with anticipation. Shaking my head at the antics, we all filed into the cabin and started the last bit of prep that we could before taking off.

They needed to hurry. I fingered my shiv, making sure it was still there. There was no doubt that it would come out to play long before this night was over. I could almost feel the metal crying out to be coated in blood, demanding that it be used to protect-- to avenge. I hadn’t used it before, partly because I didn’t have it until the settlement and then because I hadn’t thought about it when trying to save little Ali. No, it was going to be put to good use.

Inching closer to Johns and Fry, I watched as they argued again. Maybe I could just ghost Johns and save us all the trouble. He was a right pain in the ass and now was not the time for this. Forcing everyone to still be afraid of both of us was a dangerous game to play.

“Ready, Johns.”

“He’ll lead you over the first cliff. You know that, don’t you?”

“We’re just burning light here.”

“You give him the cells and the ship -- and he will leave you. He will you all out there to die.”

“I don’t get it, Johns. What is so goddamn valuable in your life that you’re worried about losing? Huh? Is there anything at all? Besides your next hype? Got no right to be so scared. Neither one of us.”

I watched as the last of the cells were removed and tied up to the lift. This we could do. I watched as each of the remaining survivors, minus myself and Riddick, harnessed themselves into the cage of fiber optic cables. If they could keep the generators going, and don’t jerk too much, they could keep that light burning for a good long while. It was the brightest light we had, and it was the only thing that gave me a small hope that at least some of us would make it through.

I watched as Riddick looped a hand light around his back so that it shined out like a beacon. A signal in the dark of which direction to go. I didn’t have anything to use as a light, and for one brief moment, I was terrified. I could fight these things, but I didn’t want to be the one that wasn't protected. A hand snaked out into mine and pulled me close. I looked up into Riddick's eyes and watched as he leaned in to smell my scent. This calmed me if only for a moment. I just knew that there wasn't enough light for me, but if I could stick close to the group, I should be alright.

“Stick close to me and make it through this. Damnit Autumn, if you get yourself killed, I will never forgive you. Do you understand? Stick close and stay in the light.”

I nodded without saying anything. How could I? What was I supposed to say? That I would do my best? But without the light, I was vulnerable. It was true, but my wounds were healed, and the blood wasn’t oozing, so they had no reason to really come after me. Not that it would matter much in the end. They would attack whatever they felt like. When the others nodded that they were ready, I watched Riddick take charge.

“Be runnin’ about 10 paces ahead. I want the light on our backs -- but not in our eyes. And check your cuts. These things know our blood now.”

He took off, and we have no choice but to move. That was when things started to get interesting. At least, that was what I told myself. We were about to walk into the lion’s den and poke the sleeping lion with a stick. It was only a matter of time before someone or something retaliates.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as the vehicle was stopped, I hopped out and went to go see what we could do about the power cells. We needed to get goin’ as quickly as we could before the world came crashin’ down. The light was fading fast, and there wasn’t anythin’ we could do about it. Johns had already wasted enough of our time trying to be the hero. ** **  
****

I was casual in my movements, tryin’ to keep an eye out for Autumn and Jack. I would make sure those two got off this planet, but the rest of them, they were on their own. I didn’t need the extra baggage that came with the others. Still, I couldn’t fight back the grin at watching Fry freak out and yell at the others. We did need to move, but everyone was too interested in attending the eclipse.

I couldn’t help it either. Stopping a moment, I stare up into the night sky. I couldn’t help but agree with my mate. It was a beautiful sight, watchin' all those creatures move through the night. As one predator to another, they deserved respect. Still, I knew they’d eat me any chance they got, but it didn’t take away from the beauty of the situation. Perhaps I stayed lookin’ too long because the next thing I knew I could hear them coming for us.

I watched as Autumn tacked Shazza to the ground and pinned her. That woman was goin’ to be a problem. Not that I didn’t mind trouble. Movin’ myself, I wrapped my arm around my mate and held her down tight. I would not let any of these creatures have a chance to get at her. I could hear the first wave move by quickly, but apparently, Shazza didn’t know there were more. I almost growled at the woman to stay still, but the words of my mate beat me to it. When the second round was gone, we got up, and we left. There was no use to hangin’ around when we were in danger.

I caught Fry watchin’ us, as if she wants to ask a question but is truly afraid of the answer. Her fear makes me see her as nothin’ but pathetic. Fear is what will lead people to make stupid decisions. The sooner they realize to just deal with things as they come, the better. Right now we were goin’ to make it, and they were goin’ to regret not trusting either of us earlier.

Inside, we all huddled together as we tried to figure out our next step. We couldn’t stay in this open container, not if the sounds I heard were right. No, we needed to get further into the ship. Of course, I couldn’t resist teasin’ the merc. He was such a fuckin’ pussy that it wasn’t even funny. Maybe in another life, he was a badass, but in this one, he was losin’ his edge.

“C’mon Johns, you’ve got the big gage.”

“I’d rather piss glass. Why don’t you fucking go check.”

The laughter was evident in my voice and in the sound of Autumn. Oh, her giggles and laughter went to a place I could dwell on. Maybe later. Right now, we needed to get off this planet, and then we’d find time for the fun. Pickin’ up the cuttin’ torch, I started to make us a hole. When we were through the first compartment, Johns took over. Fine by me. At least then I could be free to fight off the attackers if I had too.

We make it five deep before we shove some cargo over the hole and I lean against it. We were just waitin’, takin’ a moment to catch our breath and tryin' to understand what was going to happen next. Somethin’ distracts me, and I moved into the shadows. They are my friends, my companions, and I could see clearly that we aren’t alone. The creatures are here, nesting possibly, but I needed to know more. I hear the torch burnin’ again, and I can’t help it. I need to know what is up with these creatures. My senses go wild for a second before I realize that Autumn has moved within an arm's length of me. She’s stupid for doin’ that, but I understand her desire. The animal in her doesn’t want to be too far away, doesn’t wanna risk somethin’ happenin’ to me.

“Anyone seen Riddick? Or Autumn?”

“Don’t stop burnin’."

I say to them as if it was the only thin’ that made sense. Another person joined our little party over here by the creatures, and I growl. He’s stupid, for gettin’ in the way. Blendin’ out of the shadows, I stare at the child. Hassan, I think his name was. The Imam’s goin’ to have to do something about these children, or they will all end up dead. Before I can say anythin’ though, I watch as Autumn grabs the kid and takes off runnin;’ I can’t let her run by herself, she won’t be able to protect them both. Not if she’s being pursued. So I follow, purposely lettin’ her know I’m behind her.

We both end up being flash-blinded by Fry, who’s stupid enough to shove the light in our faces as we round the corner. I know I told them not to stop burnin’. Crashin’ to the ground on top of Autumn, I groan as I try to regain my balance. Slippin’ my goggles back in place, I feel the pain ease up in my eyes. Standin’ up, I pull my girl to me and sigh. She doesn’t have her goggles, and I don’t know where they are. I feel her snuggle into my chest and I wrap my arms around her a moment before placin’ a kiss on the top of her head.

Rubbin’ at the corner of her eyes, I try to coax them open. She needs to deal with the pain so she can get back to helpin’ our escape. The moan, though, almost gets to me. I can’t fight the look of concern and worry that fills my gaze as I look down at her. She’s precious to me, and I absolutely hate that she was hurt in any way. When she shifts, I watch her lecture the holy-man and smirk. She was far more polite about it than I would have been. That’s the difference between our two animals. She was raised to be a more helpful person, but that doesn't mean she holds her tongue.

We were makin’ plans, and I actually have to say I approved. It was reliable for what we had to work with, but we needed to get it going. Johns’ tried to be that puffed up hero again, and I had to laugh as Fry shot him down. He needed to get over his fear, to deal with the fact that no one understood what was happenin’. There was no way to fight the darkness. It was here. When Autumn stepped into the fight, I almost lost it. I get that she needed to say what she did, but Johns lungin' for her was strike two against the merc. One more and I’d happily take him out of our misery.

I didn’t fear the shotgun pressed under my chin. He wouldn’t actually fire it. Now my shiv, the one that I was tappin' against his leg. That one could do some severe damage, and I wouldn’t hesitate. He knew that it’s why he backed off. The sound of my mate laughin' was enough to make me laugh too. I couldn’t help it. She was gettin’ to me. Scentin’ the air a moment, I could smell her arousal, and it made me want to smirk. I held it in though, not wantin’ to give the others any more ammunition to use against us later.

I knew that it was only a matter of time before Fry volunteered myself and Autumn for this trek. We were the only two that could see in the dark. I wouldn’t let her carry the cells though, not if I didn’t have too. She was a woman, shouldn’t have to do the hard labor when I was around. I watched as the others finished gettin’ ready, and we started the trek. We could actually do this if they listened to me and didn’t try to run the show their own way.

Frownin’ a moment, I realized there wasn’t enough light. Autumn would be runnin’ this blind, and there wasn’t much I could do. Pullin’ her close to me for a moment. I scented her neck and kissed it gently. I needed her to understand that she needed to stay as close to me as possible. I could give her enough light that she wouldn’t be runnin’ free into the creatures at every turn.

“Stick close to me and make it through this. Damnit Autumn, if you get yourself killed, I will never forgive you. Do you understand? Stick close and stay in the light.”

She didn’t say anythin’, but I didn’t expect her too. I saw her nod, and right now, that was all I could hope for. She was goin’ to do whatever she could to protect me, the others, and little Jack. It was more than I could hope for. She was goin’ to be the free warrior that the world would depend on.

“Be runnin’ about 10 paces ahead. I want the light on our backs-- but not in our eyes. And check your cuts. These things know our blood now.”

It wasn’t the right time to tell them that we were a walkin’ death trap. Little Jack was goin’ to be the reason we didn’t make it too far. I couldn’t rat her out, at least not yet. No, I would tell the others when it was time, knowin’ that Autumn already knew. Right now I would just get us through this and hope that I didn’t have to reveal the young girl's secrets.


	8. The Canyon

We all set out at a semi-decent pace, though I would have preferred that we had moved quicker. Riddick was going to be ten paces ahead of us, and I was trying to stay between him and the others. It wasn’t that they were slow. None of them had the skills or training that we had been forced through. When you grow up in a slam, you learn to move fast, avoid the wrong things at all costs. They couldn’t keep up at all if we were to actually go all out. Fear rolled off of them, and a part of me wondered if the creatures could sense it like I could.

Did they go off of blood and fear? Did they even care? Our pace was semi-decent, not that it mattered. We were probably going to lose someone on the way back, and I really hoped it was Johns. The merc was not going to be invited onto the skiff if we got back there, not if he thought he could still take Riddick back to a slam.

We’d been walking for what felt like forever but was more like half an hour when the others stopped. I could sense the animals around us waiting, hoping we would step out of the light long enough for them to attack. Us stopping like this wasn’t a good sign. It would mean that someone was going to get hurt, and the chances of it being me were greater. With a sigh, I tapped Riddick on the shoulder, a sign for him to stop as well. I turned to look at the others, my silver eyes trying to figure out which one was going to cause the problem. Apparently it was going to be Fry our lovely _captain._

“Why aren’t we following the tracks anymore?”

“Saw somethin’ I didn’t like.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know _captain_ , looked like a couple of them boys chewin’ each other's gonads off. Thought we’d swing wide. Okay by you?”

There was a part of me that wanted to slap Riddick upside the head for his comment, but it was the truth. I’d seen what he saw, and I didn’t really feel like walking underneath it. Still, both he and I knew that, for all her talk, Carolyn wasn’t the captain. She was just a pilot and nothing more. I doubted if she’d ever make it past the rank of a pilot. There was a difference between the levels. I knew that but, then again, I read a lot in the slam when I got the chance.

Glaring at the others, we turned to go back to the course. These kinds of interruptions were ones we didn’t need. At least not now, or not ever. The more breaks we had, the longer it was going to take us to get to the settlement, and the more likely it was that someone else would get killed. I didn’t want anyone’s death on my conscience. Not unless it was someone I murdered. Thankfully though, Paris was back at the skiff. If anything, he was probably the one that would run away and get attacked.

I heard the others pick up the pace behind us, trying to catch back up, so they didn’t get left behind. Their footsteps carried over the sounds of the creatures attacking each other. This was how things went. Both as a show of dominance over who was going to kill the ‘invaders' or find the next meal. That was the way things worked in the animal kingdom. Still, we pressed on as we tried to move closer to the settlement.

I could hear the other’s getting restless, and I was sure that Riddick could as well. He really was trying to stay close enough that he didn’t just leave us all in the dust. With me out here, and no light to protect me, I doubted he would just leave. Not after he marked me and went through all the trouble to demand, I stay close. No. We would get there, and he wouldn’t try to leave me behind. The others I couldn’t speak to, but I knew he wouldn’t leave me behind.

“We crossed our own tracks?”

“Listen.”

”Riddick what are you…”

**“LISTEN!”**

I watched for a moment as everyone stopped to listen. I could hear the noises, hundreds, and thousands of clicking sounds. It was giving me a headache. A part of me knew that I would need to ask Riddick how he managed to avoid headaches when there was so much sound. I wasn’t used to anything but the sounds from the Bay. Rubbing my temples, I leaned a moment against Riddick’s back. My forehead pressed against the sweat-damp cloth of his black tank top. It was barely above a sound, but the whimper that escaped me was one I was sure he heard.

“Canyon up ahead. I circled once to buy some time to think.”

“Let’s just go.”

“I don’t know about that Johns. That’s death row up there, what with the girl bleedin’.”

“What are you talking about they aren’t cut.”

“Not her. _Her._ “

With his finger pointing towards the others, I thought I was going to pass out. For a moment, I peeked out to see who he was talking about, and then I realized that he wasn’t actually talking about Jack. I was relieved. To show my appreciation for what he said, I leaned up on my toes and kisses his cheek. I could see the others staring at us as if we were freaks. Two convicts close to each other and, for some reason, that was strange to them. I felt his arms come around me as if he was trying to convey that he wasn’t going to betray Jack. He could see how much she meant to me, how much of a sister I thought the girl was.

I watched as the others tried to figure out precisely what Riddick meant. While we were standing there, my arms wrapped around his waist, I felt another set of arms encircle mine. Looking down, I saw Jack and my heart lurched. I knew that they were scenting her too, but we couldn’t really do anything about it. I smiled down at the girl and noticed that Riddick awkwardly hugged her too. It was quick enough that the others didn’t see.

“Jack, we know that they can smell you, but there’s not much we can do about it right now. Just stick close to Riddick or myself, and you will get out of this alive ok? Go back to the others now.”

I watched as she nodded and then scurried off. The rag-tag group that we had were frowning as they finally realized what was going on. It was too late to do anything about it, and we couldn’t just stand here. I could hear them bickering, trying to find a way to deal with everything that was going on.

“I was wrong. I admit it, My bad, okay? Now let’s just go back to the ship.”

“I dunno. Nice breeze, wide-open spaces -- you know, I’m startin’ to enjoy myself out here.”

“Are you fucking high again? Just listen to..”

“No, no, you’re right, Fry. What’s to be afraid of? My life is a steamin’ pile of meaningless toadshit anyhow. So I say mush on! Canyon’s only a couple hundred meters, after that we’re in Skiff City! So why don’ t you just butch up, stuff a cork in it, and get going.”

Watching the banter between Johns and Fry was annoying me to no end. Neither of them deserved to be the leader or the captain. Both were trying to fight each other for dominance if only for the fact they didn’t want to admit that either convict was the best choice to lead them through this mess. So instead, they start insulting each other and dragging out the secrets for each other through the mud. I was quite sure that by now, everyone understood that Johns’ was nothing more than a drug addict, but they didn’t know that Fry had her own secrets. I could sense Riddick’s amusement by the entire ordeal, and I knew that what the others were about to say was going to hold us all back.

“She’s the captain, we should listen to --”

“Listen to her? _Her?_ When she was willing to sacrifice us all?”

“What’s he talking about?”

“This does not help us, Johns.”

“..she tried to blow the whole fucking passenger cabin, tried to kill us--”

“Just shut up, okay?”

“--tried to kill us in our sleep. Paris had it right earlier -- we _are_ disposable. We’re just walking ghosts to her.”

My ire rose as I heard the rest of the stupid conversation. I knew that Johns would turn something I said to him back on one of the others. Why? Simply because it was more comfortable that way. He couldn’t say it to me because of the simple fact that Riddick had yet to let go of me. I wanted to get going, to move forward, and stop standing there. I could feel the pain of a headache digging even deeper into my brain.

“Everyone shut up for fuck’s sake. You’re giving me a headache. We are halfway there. Now, if we can just keep going, make it through the damned canyon, we will be closer to the settlement. All standing around is doing is making us targets and wasting time.”

My voice was stronger than I felt as it carried over the noises. I watched as each of them turned to stare at me, gasping as they realized that for the first time, I had eyes just like Riddick’s. I was staring at each of them as they nodded and realized that I was right. We couldn’t just stand here forever. We needed to go now. Watching as Johns moved from the group, shoved me away from Riddick, and then started talking to the convict, I growled. He gave me that look though, the one that clearly said stay close enough to hear but not so far away I couldn’t help.

Moving back over to the group, I grabbed Jack’s hand, and we started to walk again. It wasn’t going to be hard. I wanted to keep her safe, and this was a way to do it. Looking at the others, I nodded, and they started to follow behind me, as much of their lights burning as possible. For the first time in a good while I was glad that the fiber optics were holding out as much as they were.

From where I stood I could see and hear the merc and my mate. _My Mate?_ I wondered if that was an apt thought for what we were. He had marked me, my animal at least understood that much. I knew that he wouldn’t just let me go and that there was no way that I couldn’t call him anything but mine. Riddick never really struck me as the type of person to claim anyone. He was a lone wolf, but he had seen something in me. Even now, as I was standing away from him, I could feel his animal purr in approval of my actions. It was a heady thought.

I could hear every word passing between the two of them and knew that I was waiting for Johns to make a mistake. He already had two strikes against him, that much was clear. All it would take was one more slip of the tongue for the merc to be out of our hair. For the first time, I was actually looking forward to that fight. I knew the others wouldn’t understand, so much was going on that they didn’t want too. There was so much about Riddick’s past that they couldn’t, wouldn’t understand. I knew that myself and maybe Jack would.

“Ain’t all of us gonna make it.”

“Just realized that, huh?”

I watch for a moment as Johns’ shoots his gun out into the sounds, hoping to drive the creatures away. It’s a stupid move, especially out here in the dark. Wasting ammo like that would only do one thing: cause more problems later. I reached behind me and made sure my shiv was still in place, but that wasn’t the only weapon I had. Reaching into my boot, I pulled out the small knife I had found and handed it to Jack. I knew she would feel better with a weapon of some kind, not that I expected her to use it. Keeping the pace with the others, leading them as the two men talked, I didn’t want us to stop. But I didn’t want us running through that canyon yet either.

“Ten of us left. If we could get through that canyon and lose just one, that’d be quite a fucking feat, huh? A good thing, right?”

“Not if I’m the one.”

“What if you’re one of the nine?”

“I’m listenin’.”

I watched for a moment as I felt the sudden chill in the night air. I have a feeling what Johns’ might suggest, and no one really wants that. From behind me, I could feel Fry nudging her way closer, and I want to tell her to back off. With her talking, it would be hard to hear the others. Turning, I glare at the woman as I wait for her to speak.

“What’re they doing up there?”

Talking about the canyon, I suppose. How to get us through.”

“No, Johns is about to say something incredibly stupid, but I can’t hear what it is if you keep yapping. Stay quiet, so I can hear, or I’ll feed you to the creatures myself.”

I was honestly at my witts end with them. All of them but Jack. I knew that she was just scared, and she had a right to be. No one but myself, Shazza, or Riddick even seemed to care about her wellbeing, and that was dangerous. Untangling the girl from my arms, I smiled down at her before moving back to trying to focus on the conversation. I realized that I had missed most of what they were saying, but the last part I did catch was not the right thing to say. Johns apparently thought that feeding Jack to the creatures would be a good idea. One less kid to feed, one less ‘problem.’ Oh that was sure strike three.

I was right though, as I watched Riddick stop and turn on the merc. The first thing that happened was Riddick knocking the flare out of Johns’ hand and the fight ensuing. I can sense the others behind me getting ready to move. I spin on my heels and glared at them.

“Don’t fucking move. We are going to stay here until Riddick returns. Do you understand me? This is the final straw. If you want off this planet, then do what I say or die here.”

It hadn’t taken much to get them to stop in their tracks, and they turned to stare at me. Jack was standing just a little bit taller as she hadn’t really run. Fry looked like she wanted to argue, and for a moment, I wanted her too. I was ready to backhand the bitch into submission. Either she would step in line, or she would be the next to go. I heard the sound of a gunshot, and then the two clicks as if he was trying to fire again. Pretty sure the merc loaded his morphine shells into the gun. Stupid move to carry those around like that. I watched it for a moment. As the air grew still, the clicks grew louder. They could sense a feast upon them, and they were preparing.

I watched as Riddick moved through the shadows the silent but deadly predator that he is. I could almost feel the shock and relief coursing through the others as they realize that Johns’ wouldn't be returning.

“Back to the ship, huh? So everybody huddles together till the lights burn out? Until you cant’ see what’s eating you? That you’re big plan Fry?”

“Where’s Mr. Johns?”

“The merc will not be rejoining us. Apparently, he thought that sacrificing a child, especially Jack was the right way to get Riddick to get us through the canyon. He will not be rejoining us, ever.”

I could see Fry trying to make her way back to the ship. If she wanted to head back there, she could. I was done trying to stop her from doing something stupid. Turning, I let my gaze stare at the others. This wasn’t the time to break down, to start questioning things. No, we needed to stay together if we were going to get out of this. Still, it didn’t help that she was trying to undermine all of that. My eyes glanced over at Jack, and I sighed as I held out my arms. I knew she wanted a hug or at least some sort of comfort in all of this. She was freaking out, and that wasn’t something I wanted to see.

“He died fast. And if we got any choice, that’s the way we should all go out. Don’t you cry for Johns. Don’t you dare.”

“I’m not. I just can’t believe that he didn’t even know me, and yet he wanted to use me as bait. He told me... that I’d regret looking up to the convicts. That they would turn on me, but you haven’t you’ve protected me, and it’s just…”

I didn’t know what to say to her, or to Riddick. I could feel the tears trek down my face as I held onto the child. She wasn’t any older than twelve, and it was almost too much. No one should have to deal with everything we’ve been through, not even a child. Knowing that Johns had threatened her, that was almost more than enough to raise the ire in my own mind. I could feel my animal about ready to snap. If I could, I would bring the merc back to life only to kill him slowly myself.

Feeling a hand on my face, I was snapped out of my reverie. Looking up into the silver-shined eyes of Riddick, I felt him wipe away my tears. His eyes told me more than his words ever would. He would get Jack and me out of here. We were family, pack, and he would die to protect us. The look was also telling me not to cry, that everything happened for a reason. I could feel the animal inside of me calming, accepting the comfort the touch was giving me. After we got out of this mess, Riddick and I needed to have a long talk.

We started to move again, heading towards the mouth of the gauntlet that is the canyon. There we would rest for a moment, but I didn’t say that. It was for the others to come up with the plan. Riddick would be on pulling duty, or myself, if they chose to split them up. I had no idea what the others were thinking, but if we are going to rest, now is the time to do so. We needed to be running on all eight, full-out if we had any chance of making it out of this.

“Can we stop for a moment and rest?”

“We need to get through that canyon. Longer we wait, longer it’s gonna take us to make it to the end. Rest. But don’t take too long.”

I watched ass the others nodded at Riddick before moving off to do their own things while we waited. Jack and Shazza started working on turning the bottles of alcohol that we had into torches, hoping that it was enough to get us through. We needed all the light we could get since the generator stopped working about two minutes before. Right then, all we could do was sit, wait, rest, and do nothing until Riddick told us it was time to go. I watched him move over to the cells. He pulled the cells off the sled and used the extra bit of cabling to tie them together.

I moved over and sat down right beside him. I needed to rest, I had honestly been running non-stop since I left the Bay and I’d never been all out like this before. Leaning my head against his shoulder, I felt his body relax a moment and shift me closer. He went back to his tasking, working around me while holding me close. That might have been the last time we got to do this. There was a huge chance that one of us might not make it through that canyon, but I hoped that wasn’t the case. Sensing someone approach, I looked up and saw the Imam standing there.

“Would you like me to pray with you? It’s painless.”

“It’s pointless.”

“I see. Well, even if you don’t believe in God, it doesn’t mean He won’t be--”

“You _don’t_ see. ‘Cuz you don’t spend half your life in lock-down with a horse-bit in your mouth and not believe. And you surely don’t start out in some liquor store trash bin with an umbilical cord wrapped around your neck and not believe. Oh, absolutely, I believe in God. And I absolutely hate the fucker.”

“He is with us. Nonetheless.”

For a moment I wondered why Riddick felt the need to divulge that bit of information. It was a part of his history that he would never forget and probably never forgive. A portion of me knew that it was for my benefit, for me to see that he grew up with a rough situation as well. We were both orphans, spending most of our lives in the slams. I could see the tension in Imam and sadness. He didn’t want to believe that someone that was saving them had been through such badness. For the Chrislams and the others that were religious, it was easier to hide the pain behind hollow words. To them, God only punished the wicked and, while Riddick was a killer, there was no mistaking that he wasn’t the bad guy.

“And you child? Would you like me to pray with you?”

“Why?”

“Do you not believe in God, child?”

“I don’t think that God has anything to do with this. How can I believe in someone that forced me into a life that no one should have? How can a girl, born in a slam and left to die to believe? How can she be almost raped when she was ten, killing the guards that were trying to hurt her, and then get forced into getting a shine that would kill her to believe? How can a girl that grew up her entire life in one prison, not knowing what love and compassion are, only fleeting moments of kindness believe? Maybe you’re right, holy man. Maybe I don’t believe.”

The tone of my words spoke more than my words themselves. There was a sense of sadness that permeated the air. I knew that the man had no idea what I’d been through, just like he had no idea what Riddick had gone through. I could see it in Imam’s eyes. How he wished we hadn’t had to deal with the lousy lot, we had. How he hoped that we could be like everyone else, not be killers. Not be convicts. The nasty truth was simply that the only ones that stood any chance of getting him, his boys, and the others off this rock were killers.

As I spoke, I could feel emotions well up in me, and I felt Riddick shift. He pulled me even closer, sending a glare at the holy man. It was as if he was mentally asking if the man felt better for making me feel horrible. I didn’t want to share this, but it wasn’t even my whole story. I was sure that once we got off this rock, got somewhere else, we all would have a long talk. He needed to know my secrets, and I, his if we were going to survive. Feeling a pair of lips ghosting across my neck I allowed myself to relax.

“You’ll know compassion, love, and so much more if you stick with me. I can’t say I want the others to see it, but I’m not the big bad evil they try to say I am. You and the kid. We are a unit, a family, and we will make it off this rock. Then you and I, baby, need to have a nice long chat.”

“I know Riddick. Get us out of this mess, and you can ask me anything you want.”

I felt him move, shift and get up. We needed to go. It was time to move. We had left Zeke and Paris waiting long enough, and now we needed to return to them. I watched as he walked over to the others, and we got ready. With Riddick pulling the cells that would leave me to lead, and I didn’t mind. If we kept Jack between us, we might have a shot. She was bleeding, but we weren’t about to let others know. They didn’t need more ammunition for hating us.

We take off, Jack’s hand clutched in one of mine as I moved at a quick pace. The others were keeping up, and Riddick was making a steady path with the cells. We could do this; we just had to not slow down for any reason. My other hand gripped my shiv as I waited, hoping that nothing would cause me to need to use it. This wasn’t the time to be attacking things at random.

We ran. There was no other way to explain it other than that. We ran, and we made it towards the first part of the gauntlet when I could feel things start to drop on us. Screeches and clicks filled the night sky, and I wanted to gag. I could sense someone slowing down, trying to look and I screamed as loud as my lungs would allow.

“Don’t look.”

It wasn’t enough. Someone and I assume it was Fry, tried to look up because Riddick’s voice sounded out just after mine.

“Do _not_ look up!”

We moved as quickly as we could through the dead bodies and muck that started to get in our way. We needed to get out of the damned gauntlet if we wanted to make it off the planet alive. As we moved, I could see the others struggling through it. Jack was trying as hard as she could to stay up on both her legs. My eyes settled on a choke point, and I cringed. We had to get through, we would get through it.

“What? What is it?”

“It’s a fuckin’ staircase, Jack. Just go.”

All of us were a bit on edge, and Riddick’s comment didn’t help. Still, I could understand the girl's reluctance to touch the creatures at all. We didn’t have much choice. We had to push through. I watched as she climbed, relieved that she made it to the other side, quickly following myself. Everyone crossed up the staircase, and Riddick followed up the rear with the cells. We could do this, we just needed to stay focused. I would have said stay calm, but most of them were way past that point at this moment. Then everything crashed around me. I saw one of the creatures snap at Jack, and I lost it.

**“JACK!”**

Jumping into the air, I landed near the girl and the creature, my shiv digging into his brain watching with grim satisfaction as it died. She crashes to the ground and rolls underneath a set of bones. It wasn’t the best place for her, but she didn’t have much room to move. Already there was another creature there, snapping at her and trying to pierce her flesh. I didn’t have a chance to move, to defend her because Riddick was already there. Somehow he had managed to pull one of his shivs and gutted the creature before any of us could blink. He moved quicker than probably the other humans’ eyes could see. I watched in complete awe as he gutted the creature and then, for good measure, snapped its neck.

“Did not know who he was fuckin’ with.”

I watched as Jack scooted out of the bones and smiles at the convict before we all returned to our task. He picked up the draglines once again and started us off. This time, we were following behind him. Our pace needed to be grueling, but after that, I didn’t know how many more of us planned on making it out alive. Already we’ve had more than enough close calls for my liking, and I refused to let any more come up. Pushing through the rest of the boneyard, we cleared the choke point, and the canyon widened. It wasn't so bad, meaning we were almost through. Then the unthinkable started.

I felt it, and I almost gasped in shock. Rain. We didn’t need this, couldn’t have this. It was the only thing that would prevent our lights from working. We pushed through, but the rain didn’t let up. It started pounding us, a bone-chilling cold that any reasonable person would try to avoid. I could hear a laugh, and I knew it was Riddick. He was just as crazy about the entire situation as I was. I couldn’t help it either, the laughter bubbled out of me as if it was some illness. Our voices, carried over the sound of the rain and the creatures, forming a perfect harmony.

“So where the hell’s your God now?”

“Riddick? How close? Tell me the settlement is right there.”

“We can’t make it.”

They shouldn’t have been so surprised. We might've until the rain started to come through. Right then, we needed to get the cells to the skiff no matter what, and there were only two of us capable of that. I scanned the horizon and spotted a cave. Darting over to it, I moved the rock covering away.

“Over here. Inside now. All of you. Now!”

Each of them scrambled over to the cave, falling a few times in the mud but they make it. I watched with my eyes as I saw one person stop. Riddick was behind me, and I felt the heat of him as he moved closer. One of us would have to stay and watch the others. I turned, smiling up at him before placing a brief kiss on his lips. He shooed me into the cave, and I waited in the darkness as the rock face was shifted back in place. We were safer in there at least for the moment.

“Why’s he still out there?”

“He’s the best chance of getting the cells to the ship. He’ll come back for us.”

“Yeah, right. All he will do is knock out or kill the others and take off.”

That was it. I’d had it with Fry’s attitude and mouth. Quicker than the others could think, I slapped the blond across the face. Watching with a sick satisfaction, her head cracked against the rock. There was a sickening crack, and the others cringed. Fry would not be joining us again. We sat there, huddled as best we could, hearing the rain pound against the rocks and watching the one alcohol torch we had started to die. Wrapping my arms around Jack, I pulled her close to me. She would be safe.

“He’s going to return for us, Jack. We are a pack family. We don’t leave each other behind. You saw the mark, do you think he’d willingly leave his mate behind?”

My words weren’t above a whisper, but I knew the others heard it nonetheless. It was meant to reassure the girl, but I knew in my heart that Riddick would return. As we waited, our light failed, and the others started to panic. Looking up, I poked Jack in the side and saw her look up too. There above us were several glowing worms that we might use. Grabbing one of the bottles, I pulled the lid off and stood. Filling it with as many of the bugs as I could get, I saw Jack and Shazza start to do the same with the others. When we had one completely full, I ripped the label off so that the light wasn’t being blocked. The other bottle was only half full when the other label was ripped off. We had light, it wasn’t much, but it was enough to see.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I tried not to set to gruelin’ of a pace. We needed to move, but to lose the others along the way wasn’t somethin’ I wanted. I could feel Autumn hoverin’ around just like I asked her too. She wasn’t in the light, but she would be there should the others need her help. I just wanted to know she was safe, to see that she was within my grasp if somethin’ were to happen.

I knew these creatures went off the blood. I could sense it about them. They were hungry, and they were lookin’ for their next meal. I didn’t want it to be one of the kids or the women. Could be Johns’ that much I wouldn’t care about. We’d only been walking for a little over half an hour when the wannabe captain's annoyin’ voice broke through. I had steered us away from a bunch of the creatures fightin’ hopin’ to avoid gettin’ their blood on us. Of course, she just had to question me didn’t she?

“Why aren’t we following the tracks anymore?”

“Saw somethin’ I didn’t like.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know _captain_ , looked like a couple of them boys chewin’ each other's gonads off. Thought we’d swing wide. Okay by you?”

I could sense the laugh that my mate was hidin’. She wanted to smack me upside the head, but it was true. The woman wasn’t leadin’ I was, and they had better learn to respect that. She was nothin’ more than a pilot and a shitty one at that. The ship coulda been landed much better and in better shape by someone that actually had an ounce of skill. Instead, we got stuck with a green pilot who didn’t know when to shut her mouth.

As we were walkin’, I knew that someone would realize I’d crossed our own tracks. I was tryin’ to figure out how to get us through the canyon. They smelled blood, and Jack had just started her period, probably didn’t even know what was up. Then there was Fry, I could smell her a mile away, and she didn’t really seem to care that much. She was goin’ to be the biggest problem. If I could, I’d keep the girls secret but not the captains.

“We crossed our own tracks?”

“Listen.”

:”Riddick what are you…”

**“LISTEN!”**

I couldn’t fight back the scream. If they would just shut up for one moment, I could explain. I watched as they all heard what I knew that Autumn and myself had heard for a while. The sounds of all the creatures that lay ahead of are. I felt a movement at my back, listened to the whimper, and the forehead press against my back. The noises were botherin’ my mate’s ears, and that annoyed me to no end. No, I wasn’t mad at her, I was insane at the damned creatures. How dare they make so much noise that it gave her a headache. My voice was steady when I spoke to them, watchin’ as they cowered away.

“Canyon up ahead. I circled once to buy some time to think.”

“Let’s just go.”

“I don’t know about that Johns. That’s death row up there, what with the girl bleedin’”

“What are you talking about they aren’t cut.”

“Not her. _Her._ “

My finger purposely pointed out Fry. I wanted others to hate the woman. She was the cause of all of this nonsense. Her and the merc. When I felt a kiss planted on my cheek, I couldn’t fight back my grin. Wrapping my arms around my woman, I pulled her close. The others were starin’ at us, all but Jack. Jacky girl looked relieved, and I couldn’t help but wink at her. She knew I knew her secret and that I hadn’t said anythin’. Why would I? I wasn’t about to betray the only two people that had actually managed to become my family.

I saw the girl approach us, awkwardly hug Autumn and I couldn’t help it. I wrapped my arms around her as well. The three of us, we were a family, and we would make it out of here alive. I would die to keep them both safe. Just like I knew that Autumn would die to protect Jack, and myself if she thought she could. Soon enough, the huggin’ was over, and the girl was back with the others. They were tryin’ to figure out what I said and how it affected us. I couldn’t help but be amused at how quickly they turned on each other.

Hearin’ Autumn’s voice carry was enough to make me growl. I rubbed her temples as much as I could to help fight away the pain, but it wouldn’t be enough, not right now. The others needed to shut up if we were goin’ to have any chance of gettin’ out of here. She moved away, though, went to the others as Johns approached. I honestly didn’t want anythin’ to do with the merc, but if I didn’t hear him out there would be hell to pay.

Apparently he thought he had a plan. Well, I was all for hearin’ it, didn’t mean I’d actually follow it. Mr. William J. Johns was probably one of the dumbest bounty hunters I’d ever had the displeasure of meetin’. He talked a big game, but in the end, all he did was kill innocents to get his payday. The dumbass probably didn’t even realize he had two strikes against him. I was just waitin’ for the third. Didn’t have to wait for long.

“Ain’t all of us gonna make it.”

“Just realized that, huh?”

“Ten of us left. If we could get through that canyon and lose just one, that’d be quite a fucking feat, huh? A good thing, right?”

“Not if I’m the one.”

“What if you’re one of the nine?”

“I’m listenin’”

We were walkin’ just a bit ahead of the others. I knew the only one that could hear our conversation was Autumn, but the others in the group would probably distract her. I couldn’t expect her to listen to every bit, but I did hope she at least listened to the last bit so that she’d know for sure why Johns would end up dead. I was hopin’ the merc wouldn’t realize what my plan was until it was way too late for him to do anythin.’

“Look, it’s hellified stuff-- but no different than those battlefield doctors when they have to decide who lives and who dies. It’s called ‘triage,’ okay?”

“Kept callin’ it ‘murder’ when I did it.”

“Either way, figure it’s something you can grab onto.”

“Sacrifice play. Hack up one body, leave it at the start of the canyon. Like a bucket of chum.”

“Trawl with it. There’s a cable on the sled. Drag it behind us, maybe fifty feet.”

“Nice embellishment.”

“Don’t wanna feed these land-sharks-- Just keep ‘em off our scent.”

“So which one caught your eye?”

“Don’t look, Don't look, Christ, what’s wrong with you!”

Smirkin’ some at the way Johns freaked out I couldn’t help but chuckle. I already had a sneakin’ suspicion about what his plan was. The only person out here that deserved to die was him, but he couldn’t see that. No, he was probably gonna ask me to kill off someone, either Autumn or the girl. Either one of those options would earn him a one-way ticket to my shiv. As I stood there, I couldn’t help but wonder just what kind of sick things were runnin’ through his head. Just to piss the merc off, I looked towards the others as we talked.

“Let’s not name the Thanksgiving turkey, okay? I assume you still got a shiv.”

“What, you ‘spect _me_ to do it?”

“What’s one more to you? Like this is the one that sends you to hell?”

“Oh, you’re a piece of art, Johns. They oughta hang you in a museum somewhere. Or forget the museum -- maybe they should just hang you.”

“Awright. You do the girl, I’ll keep the others off you back. That is unless you think the kid isn’t a girl, after all.”

“Just wonderin’ if we don’t need a bigger piece of bait.”

It was enough. He wanted me to kill Jack, and he knew that Jack wasn’t a boy. Not that I minded that the merc knew. I just wasn’t about to let him know that killin’ Jack wasn’t at the top of my list. Movin’ I make for the shotgun, hearin’ as it blasts skyward. Johns drops flare, and I almost grin right there. Things were going my way. We tussle for a moment, and I knock the shotgun out of his hands, the darkness surrounds us as I pull my shiv.

“Just one rule, Johns. Stay in the light.”

I watch him circle, and I couldn’t help it. I start to fuck with him just to see what he’d do. Pokin’ and jabbin’ at him, I watch as he backs up into the darkness. He stumbles over somethin’, but I don’t care, I’ve found another weapon in that time. A bone that would make a pretty handy club if I swung it just right. He comes at me, and I bounce back goin’ back at him. We beat and bash, but I’m the only landin’ any blows. I break his fingers, forcin’ him to drop the bone, and he’s scramblin’ to getaway. Making a desperate play for the light. Stupid move on his part, turnin’ his back on me.

Lettin’ my shiv out to play I slice at his back. I watch as he starts crawlin’ for the light again, thinkin’ he can getaway. I move, followin’ him in the shadows, tauntin’ him.

“Shoulda never taken the chains off, Johns. You were one brave fuck before. Now, look at you. Oh, yeah, you were Billy Bad-ass with your gage. with the chains.. with the bit..”

He was stupid honestly if he thought he could see me in the darkness. There was only one person that could see me and right now she was wrangin’ Fry and the others. I wanted to yell at them to stay put, but I didn’t want to give away my position yet. Johns’ killed himself in the end, really. The blood from his back called the creatures to him, and he shot. The first one made contact, the next was nothin’ but air. Stupid merc keepin’ his morphine in shotgun shells. In this darkness, no one could really see a color to know if they’d even loaded the right ones in.

With the death of the merc, I turned and headed back to the others. I watched as Autumn looked relieved to see me. I wasn’t gonna let those creatures or the blue-eyed devil get the best of me out here. No, I was stronger than that. I watched the others as they seemed to disregard anythin’ that my mate had told them.

“Back to the ship, huh? So everybody huddles together till the lights burn out? Until you cant’ see what’s eating you? That you’re big plan Fry?”

“Where’s Mr. Johns?”

“The merc will not be rejoining us. Apparently, he thought that sacrificing a child, especially Jack was the right way to get Riddick to get us through the canyon. He will not be rejoining us, ever.”

Smillin’ at the woman I was growin’ to care a great deal about, I couldn’t help but smile. She had heard the last part of the fight, that much was clear. I saw the looks on the faces of the others, but they demanded an explanation. Why should I even bother? Didn’t they know what kinda man he was? What kind of person they were puttin’ their trust in?

“He died fast. And if we got any choice, that’s the way we should all go out. Don’t you cry for Johns. Don’t you dare.”

“I’m not. I just can’t believe that he didn’t even know me, and yet he wanted to use me as bait. He told me... that I’d regret looking up to the convicts. That they would turn on me, but you haven’t you’ve protected me, and it’s just…”

It shocked me a moment the way the kid was talkin’ to me. She’d grown up in the last few hours, and that was enough. I could see in her the same fightin’ spirit I had when I was her age. Watchin’ tears fall down my mate's face was not somethin’ I wanted to ever see, again. Movin’, I cupped her face as I wiped away the tears. I tried to convey with my eyes, the feelin’s I had. Maybe she’d understand them better than I did. We were goin’ to have a long talk when we got off this planet, the two of us needin’ to know how we felt.

Moving, we continued to walk as we tried to make it through the rest of the canyon. This was goin’ to be the hard part. We were just at the mouth, about ready to venture forwards. If we could push on, we might actually make it before anythin’ else happened. It was wishful thinkin’ on my part, I knew that, but it didn’t stop me from feelin’ that way.

“Can we stop for a moment and rest?”

“We need to get through that canyon. Longer we wait, longer it’s gonna take us to make it to the end. Rest. But don’t take too long.”

I saw them nod at me and that was enough for me to walk off. I had things to do. We needed to get the cells together. If I was goin’ to drag them, I didn’t want them on the sled. The sled was too much of a liability right now for all of us. Findin’ a spot, I sit down and start tyin’ up the cable and loopin’ them through the cells. I was makin’ a dragline as I felt Autumn rest her head on my shoulder. She needed sleep. My animal could sense it. She was pushin’ past her last bit of reserves, not even sure much more she could take. Since the start, she’d been injured twice savin’ people, runnin’ all out since we started. I wish I could grant her the time to rest, but we just didn’t have it. We needed to get goin’ soon. A shadow cast over me and I looked up, and glared.

“Would you like me to pray with you? It’s painless.”

“It’s pointless.”

“I see. Well, even if you don’t believe in God, it doesn’t mean He won’t be--”

“You _don’t_ see. ‘Cuz you don’t spend half your life in lock-down with a horse-bit in your mouth and not believe. And you surely don’t start out in some liquor store trash bin with an umbilical cord wrapped around your neck and not believe. Oh, absolutely, I believe in God. And I absolutely hate the fucker.”

“He is with us. Nonetheless.”

I wanted to strangle the holy man. Just because he didn’t understand my past didn’t give him the right to judge me. His God was supposed to do that. I gave my story or as much of it as I was comfortable with so that Autumn would understand that on some level, we weren’t all that different. Both of us spent most of our lives in the slam, I never knew my parents, just like she never knew hers. I could feel her tense beside me and growl at hearin’ her called a child. Yes, she was younger than Imam was, but that didn’t make her a child. She was twenty-five years old if what she said was accurate, that was far from bein’ a child.

“And you child? Would you like me to pray with you?”

“Why?”

“Do you not believe in God, child?”

“I don’t think that God has anything to do with this. How can I believe in someone that forced me into a life that no one should have? How can a girl, born in a slam and left to die to believe? How can she be almost raped when she was ten, killing the guards that were trying to hurt her and then get forced into getting a shine that would kill her to believe? How can a girl that grew up her entire life in one prison, not knowing what love and compassion are, only fleeting moments of kindness believe? Maybe you’re right holy man. Maybe I don’t believe.”

I’d already heard part of the story, but I could feel her anguish all the same. I could see the emotions flit across Imam’s face. He felt terrible for us when he shouldn’t. We survived the ordeal that we were born into. He shouldn’t feel sympathy for us. Pullin’ my woman closer, I couldn’t help but try to calm her down. I didn’t need her upset, I didn’t like her upset. Movin’ my face so that I was kissin’ her across her neck, I inhaled some. I loved her scent. It was a drug to me, and I would never do without it.

“You’ll know compassion, love and so much more if you stick with me. I can’t say I want the others to see it, but I’m not the big bad evil they try to say I am. You and the kid. We are a unit, a family, and we will make it off this rock. Then you and I, baby, need to have a nice long chat.”

“I know Riddick. Get us out of this mess, and you can ask me anything you want.”

Movin’, I stood up. What was I supposed to say? I was goin’ to get us through this mess. It wasn’t even a question. We would get out of here, and we would make it on the skiff with the others. I secured the draglines to me as I moved. We needed to take off, and I saw the others join us. Autumn would take the point position here; I needed to be in the back. I wanted rear guard for a reason.

As we ran, I could feel things droppin’ down on us. The creatures were fighin’ each other. They were goin’ at it like there wasn’t a whole lot of food below them, just waitin’ to be picked off. After yellin’ at them to stop looking up, and resistin’ the urge to hit Fry, we moved again. We were gettin’ close to a choke point when Jack freaked out. I could see what the problem was, but there was no way around it.

“What? What is it?”

“It’s a fuckin’ staircase, Jack. Just go.”

I watched her gangly figure as she climbed up the staircase with hands and knees. It couldn’t be helped. She was growin’, and with that came the lack of coordination that the adults would have. One of the creatures she stepped on, though, snapped at her, and I watched as she rolled out of the way. She landed under some rocks, but I was too far away to get to her, at least at the moment. Watchin’, I saw Autumn launch herself a clear ten yards with her shiv drawn. There was a sickenin’ crunch as the blade dug itself into the brain of the creature. She wouldn’t let anything happen to Jack while she could help it. Of course, watchin’ her fly like I could momentarily daze me.

She was too far away to stop the other attack. One of the other creatures though they would try to use Jack as food again. This one was close enough that I could act. With lightin’ fast reflexes, I dropped the draglines and pulled my shiv. Slicin’ the underside of the beast at least three times, I felt it oozin’ out its guts. I knew it was dead, but my animal was still pissed that it went after Jack. For good measure, I snapped the creature's neck before stepping back, sheathin’ my shiv, and grabbin’ the draglines again.

“Did not know who he was fuckin’ with.”

We push on as best we could and get out of the choke point. It’s wide-open spaces, and it gets us closer to the skiff. We only had about another hundred yards before we were within the confines of the settlement. I wasn’t even sure if we could make it through, ‘cause just as we start to lift our spirits, the sky opens up. Rain. I could feel it cleanin’ me of the animal blood, but it was a bone chillin’ type of storm. The kids, they were probably already tired, and now they’d have to slog through rain and mud to get out of here.

“So where the hell’s your God now?”

“Riddick? How close? Tell me the settlement is right there.”

“We can’t make it.”

The last bit was directed at Fry. We wouldn’t make it. Not without more light. Their torches were useless now, the rain washin’ away the flame. I had to think of somethin’ and fast. I couldn’t get them through there without any light. Autumn beat me to it with her idea. I spotted the cave that she was pointin’ at, and I herded the others there. I watched for a moment as my mate stayed outside, I pressed closer to her, offerin’ her comfort if only for a moment. The kiss was brief, but it was powerful. I would come back for her. When she crawled in the cave, I slid a giant rock in front of it. It would have to do as a door until I got back.

I picked up the cells again and took off. I could make it, grab some light, and come back for the others. They couldn’t be left there, not with Fry around. Pushin’ my legs harder and faster than I’ve ever moved before I made to the skiff in quite a reasonable amount of time. I saw Zeke and Paris standin’ there, starin’. I knew they had questions, but I didn’t have a whole lot of time to explain what was goin’ on.

“They are safe for now. Gotta go back for them. Get the cells in, get them patched through. Give me whatever light you can find. now!”

I watched as the two men moved quickly. I helped shove the cells in place as Paris searched for the lights, and Zeke started patchin’ them in. The prospector was a decent sort. He was smart enough to try to figure out what needed to be done without much fuss. Within ten minutes, I had a headlight, and two rows of interior lights from the ship, strung together, to create a light source. It would be enough. I took off before they could say anythin’ else. It was time I got back to my pack. Autumn and Jack needed me, and we were so close to gettin’ off this damned planet.


	9. The Last Mile

We were so close to the final part of the deal. If we could make it out of this cave and down to the skiff, we would be free of this planet forever. It was getting hard to focus, the sounds outside growing even though we were hidden behind the rocks. Maybe that was the problem. We were hiding. I had no doubt that, if the time came, I could kill as many of those fucking creatures as possible to get at least Jack out of here. Fear permeated the area around all of us, and I knew that the other survivors were afraid.

They had no reason to trust Riddick, no reason to know that the man would actually get us out of this mess. I wanted to believe it myself, and a part of me did. The other part of me was terrified that we were just going to all die, even the big evil himself. Right then, I didn’t have the time to soothe their fears. If they didn’t understand now that the two of us would do whatever we could to save them, they never would.

Leaning my head back against the rocks, all I could do was wait. Riddick would get back to us as soon as he could, rushing him wouldn’t work. We still had a lot of creatures between us and it, but if we focused, we could make it. Closing my eyes, I tried to get some rest. No one should ever have to run like this. From the moment I escaped Butcher Bay, I’d been running. I should have been able to get sleep in the cryotube, but I didn’t. I hadn’t managed to get any sleep since the night before I left the Bay.

As my eyes closed, I tried to figure out the time that this planet ran on. How long as an hour? How long had we actually been here? It felt like hours, but was it days? With three suns, there was a lot of heat but not a lot of time. How long was a year here? Was it a year like in the rest of the ‘verse? Did one year here equate to four days somewhere else? These were the questions that ran through my head. It wasn’t even that it mattered. Time was relative, wasn’t it? A part of me wondered if we had also been gone long enough for anyone to start missing us?

None of us knew how long it would take before the bugs in the bottle would stop glowing, probably when they died, but we didn’t know how long that would be. As each moment passed, I grew a bit calmer. While we might not exactly be in the best situation, the panic wasn’t going to help. No. I needed to stay calm if I expected Jack to handle all of this. She needed someone that was a strong role-model, and I knew it wasn’t me. Slowly I opened my eyes and looked at the remaining survivors. There, crowded in the small cave, adults and children alike huddled as if this was our last ray of hope.

Abu Al-Walid was talking to his children in Arabic, trying to calm their nerves. Since the last time, he’d talked to them. Convinced them not to go running off again. Shazza was watching me, studying me as if she was trying to understand more about me. This wasn’t exactly a time for us to relax, but maybe if we could actually learn more about the others, we wouldn’t be so willing to turn on them. Jack was settled into my side, her head resting against my shoulder as the boys glanced between myself and the body next to mine.

I knew that everyone had heard the sound of Fry’s neck-snapping against the rocks, they probably all wanted to ask me why she was dead, but none of them did. Maybe later, when we all made it off this planet, we could have that discussion. I knew that they only viewed myself and Riddick as a threat. If it wasn’t for the fact that they all knew they didn’t stand a chance on their own of getting out of here... I was sure they would have already turned on me. The silence inside the cave was driving me crazy. At least we could talk or something.

“I can almost taste the scorn on the air. Do any of you have any idea what it’s like to grow up in prison? No, I don’t mean committing a crime and watching yourself getting sentenced. I mean, being born and raised inside a Slam with no one on the outside trying to get you out?”

All eyes turned towards me as they tried to process my words. Maybe that was the problem. I was trying too hard to get them to understand. Each of us had skeletons in our closets, things that made us different from everyone else. Did anyone even care that someone’s past could very well shape the way they acted in the future? To me, it mattered. I wanted to know why Shazza left her life of wealth behind. I wanted to see why the Imam was chosen to lead the pilgrimage when he was so gullible. I wondered if it was part of his religion, to always try to see the best in people, even when the evil was staring you in the face. I wanted to know why Jack had snuck aboard the ship, not really knowing where she was headed.

Running a hand through my hair, wishing for a moment that I had a holder to pull it back with, I thought about what else to say. My whole life had been spent living in caves and darkness inside the quarters that house dangerous criminals. It killed or be killed from the moment I was born, but did that make me evil? I thought I wasn’t evil, I wouldn’t even put Riddick in the category of darkness either. We were survivors, animals, runners. We escaped the fate that we didn’t accept and worked to shape our own.

“I might be a killer, but you have nothing to fear from me, and you don’t have anything to fear from Riddick. Not unless you purposely make yourself a target. Each of us has things to hide, reasons for being on the Hunter-Gratzner, and we have reasons for still being alive. In truth, I don’t think that Johns did any of you any favors by only telling you half-truths. Yes, Riddick is an escaped convict. I can’t think of a single slam that has kept him locked up for long. He likes being free, most animals do. Yes. He is a killer, but you don’t know anything about his targets. Us, convicts, I mean, we kill to keep ourselves alive. My first kill was when I was ten; it’s what forced me to get this shine.”

Opening my eyes, and for the first time, I wished they were their old shade of blue. I looked up into the darkness of the cave. It was just my voice that carried us through. My voice cresting across the sounds around us. Maybe this was pointless. They weren’t going to open up, at least not there in danger.

“What did it feel like? The shine job?”

It was a valid question, but the person that asked it was not who I expected. Shazza surprised me by asking the question, and I wondered if it was the right time to do so? Jack had already asked earlier how to get the eyes, and Riddick had told her. It wasn’t something I thought that anyone really should know. The choice to go through that pain, it shouldn’t belong to anyone. No one should be able to undergo that and live.

“I won’t lie and sugar coat it for you. It’s more pain than even most grown adults can handle. In truth, the only person I’d ever heard about that didn’t cry out in pain was Riddick. He’s tougher, stronger, and far better than I am.”

I paused for a moment as I thought about what else needed to be said. I wanted them to understand that it wasn’t a choice that most people would make. No, it was something that was taken from me at a time when I was impressionable. At ten years old, I shouldn’t have ever been put through that. I should have been playing dress-up or with dolls or something. Instead, I was strapped to a table as a man started cutting at my eyes.

“This isn’t something that the children should hear, but since Jack asked about it earlier, I will tell you. Most of the time, if the procedure is done, the person getting it is strapped down. I was strapped, tied, and held by two burly men as they forced me to undergo more pain than I ever thought possible. See, you can’t close your eyes, so they have to pry them open. I remember staring up in the bright light above my head, unable to blink because my eyelids were held open. Most of the next bit is hazy at best, the pain will do that to you. There was cutting, and lights and things being thrown on my eyes. I couldn’t honestly tell you what happened, but it felt like I was being stung by a thousand bees while being trampled on by a herd of elephants.”

Even as I talked about it, I could still feel the remnants of the pain of it all. It’d been fifteen years since it’d happened, and the pain radiated. Rubbing my eyes, I quieted. I let them focus on the sound of what I’d said as I listened out to the sounds. I could hear the creatures still fighting, beating at each other, but there was another sound carrying on the wind. It wasn’t one that seemed to fit out there. For someone that had sensitive ears, it was hard to pick out. The soft clank of the metal, as it was scraped against something. A shiv.

The rock that was keeping those creatures from us started to move, and I saw the others try to get up as much as they could. The cave was small and didn’t provide a lot of room for people to stand up in. There was a face, one that hovered in the doorway as we all tensed. Only one person out there could have come back for us, and I couldn’t fight the smile that rose up on my face. He wouldn’t leave Jack or me. The others didn’t need to know that though, so they didn’t say anything.

“Anyone not ready for this?”

“There’s my god.”

I shot the holy man a glare as we moved out of the cave and into the remains of the gauntlet. One of us was going to have to take rearguard, and I knew it would probably be me. Riddick was better at leading us, knowing which way was the right way to go. I could follow based on sight and smell but the others, they needed a more reliable person leading them.

I moved and started to line them up, putting Jack right behind Riddick and then lining the boys up behind her, followed by Imam and Shazza. They wouldn’t question this, they seemed to understand that I wanted the children wedged between Riddick and myself, where we could keep them safe. I wouldn’t let anything happen to any of them if I could help it. Withdrawing my shiv, keeping one hand free, I waited for a beat. We needed to get going, needed to run, and there was nothing to stop us now. Rain pounded against us, but we couldn’t afford to lose hope. We were so close to the finish line.

They all tried to form as tight a line as they could behind the giant convict. As if Riddick was the buffer to ward off all the evil. Maybe he was, perhaps, this was his shining moment to show them that no matter what Johns had said about him, he wasn’t the same. I didn’t expect sunshine and rainbows or that people would easily forget that the man was a convict. Perhaps, though, they could gain a small amount of trust in him to know that while he might be a bad guy, he wasn’t the big evil on this planet. He’d gotten them all this far, now we just needed to finish.

“When I go, we go. Full throttle, no holding back. We go my speed, or you will be eaten. I will not come back for you a second time.”

None of us had to know that he wasn't joking. We knew he was serious. This was our chance to show him that we weren’t just dead weight. I watched as my mate took off, and the others scrambled to follow him. They were doing a pretty good job, especially little Jack. For all she’d been through, she could run pretty fast when things depended upon it. I made a mental note to run some sprints with her when we got a chance too. Maybe if we made it off this planet and on a world to hide out on at a future time.

We are running, full out when I see Jack slip. The others are scared, stopping for a moment, but we are so close. We can see the lights of the skiff and know that we aren’t that far away just a few hundred more meters, and we are home free. I watched as Riddick heaved Jack over the mud and shoves her towards the ship. It’s dark, and only my eyes could see what was going on. The others, they weren’t sure whether to try and help or to run and hope they don’t encounter anymore of those creatures along the way. They didn’t have a choice, they had to run, or I would drag them by their hair.

“You know the way. Run!”

There was no way to mistake the bellow from Riddick as the others took off. We all were rounding a corner when there’s a creature there waiting for us. I had no idea whose fight that was going to be, mine or his. Riddick beat me to the choice. I watched as he pulled out two shivs and got ready for the takedown. I would not let them hurt him too much. I couldn’t let the convict have all the fun, could I? The fight broke out quicker than most anyone could blink. Shiv versus claw versus tail versus man. It was a circle that seemed to draw each of them into a deadly dance. The victor would be the one still standing in the end. Reaching around for my other shiv, I sliced a small bit of my hand and jump into the fray. What kind of person would I be to let Riddick do all the work?

In between the grunts and groans of the fighting, I could hear the pattering of the others' feet as they raced aboard the skiff. They were safe, protected. They could leave us, I wouldn’t hate them for it. Not in the least. Survival was about doing what is right regardless of who it hurts. In this case, their survival could very well be about leaving us behind. Jack would get over it. Eventually, the others too would forget. We could, in theory, make it; Riddick and I. We were strong.

A claw caught my thigh and pulled me from my thoughts as a scream ripped from me. I didn’t see the blow, somehow the creature managed to get in my blindspot. This wasn’t good. Bleeding around them would be the same as dangling raw meat in front of a lion. They were going to pounce as soon as they could. I watched as two more of these creatures join the fray. My blades and hands were covered in their blue blood, the copper stench permeating the air. It was enough to make me want to gag, but I choke down the reflex and try to fight my way down.

I could see a body land in front of me. It was Riddick, who, for a moment, seemed dazed. Suddenly I felt the wind shift around me as I saw one of them going in for the kill. No! They wouldn’t. Moving faster than I thought possible for me, I slashed out with my blades and sliced the neck clean off of the creature. The others around stopped for a moment as if taking in my feral stance. I could hear a growl emanating around us, fierce and wild, but it wasn’t until Riddick put his hand on my shoulder that I realized it was me. We were together, our backs to each other as we moved in a circle.

Slicing and dicing, we managed to clear a path back to the ship. Riddick was trying as much as he could to stay upright, he’d taken a slice to the thigh as well. We were limping along, but we made it back to the skiff. I could see the others, their terrified looks, as we hobbled aboard. They were waiting for us, as much as they could. None of them knew how to pilot. The only two in our whole group that had that knowledge was Riddick and Fry. Riddick was the only one still alive.

As soon as we were clear of the hatch, I heard the sounds of it being closed and could feel the creatures throwing themselves at the ship. For a moment, I couldn’t see anything, the lights forcing my brain to shut down in pain as I fall to my knees. I could not move, too much pain. I heard the voices around me as if they were far away and I had to run to catch up with them.

The others were watching us as all the lights are powered on and then suddenly turned off as if they didn’t understand why we hadn’t taken off yet. I didn’t realize it either, but with the way my brain was functioning right then was a sure sign that I had no idea of anything.

“Riddick, why’d you stop?”

“We can’t leave yet.”

“Why..”

“We can’t leave until we say goodbye.”

I felt the ship turn at full throttle and blast off out of the area. There is barely enough room for all of us, but we manage. I was still on the floor by the hatch, unsure of anything. The pain in my head was lessening, but only because the darkness was coming faster around me. My right hand, which was on the ground, was suddenly grabbed, and I was pulled up into a pair of warm arms. Then I felt it. A couple of hands massaging my temples as if trying to coax the pain away. Slowly, I felt it recede as a pair of goggles were slipped around my neck. Pulling them up, I look at Riddick. My eyes now protected from the harshness and I saw his smile.

We had wounds that needed to be looked at, but they could wait. At least mine could. Pushing Riddick gently into a chair, knowing that if he didn’t want to go, he wouldn’t, I set him down so I could take a look at his leg. Seeing the shape of a med-kit from under the console on the cockpit, I grab it. It had just what we needed. Peering down at his legs I could see the slice through his pants, but I could reach it without having to create a problem for anyone’s modesty.

My hands were gentle as they wiped away the blood and dirt from the wound. I needed it clean, so I could see it. It didn’t look infected, I didn’t see anything blocking. So I slowly started to stitch up the cut. It was deep but clean, the kind that would heal with just the right amount of time and care. My hands, despite their shaking, deftly finished tying up the sutures and put a clean bandage over the wound as I heard the others start to talk. It was Jack’s loud voice that surrounded me. I knew we were up in the shipping lanes, up where we were at the mercy of whoever found us.

“Gonna be a lot of questions, whoever picks us up. Could even be mercs. So whadda we tell ‘em ‘bout you two?”

“Tell ‘em...Tell ‘em Riddick died somewhere on that planet.”

I understood, on some level, his desire. If everyone thought he was dead, there was a better chance of living a life away from the mercs. It was wishful thinking, at least. I hadn’t said anything up until that point. Hadn’t said anything since that feral growl out there on that planet. My brain didn’t seem to even want to function, to try to come up with a story. No one even knew I existed. I could feel my whole body shake, quiver with pain and fear, as I spoke softly.

“No one even knows I exist. No one but the guards at Butcher Bay. They can’t exactly report a convict escaped that they never reported was alive, to begin with, can they? You can tell them whatever you want about me. But wherever Riddick is, I’ll be there with him.”

As I was talking, I could see the others nod. It was is if that was the final bit they needed before they allowed themselves to relax. I watched Imam, and his three boys curl up in a corner and fall asleep. Zeke and Shazza standing guard for a moment just across from them before they too sat leaned against the wall and fell asleep.

There was a tiny bed on the ship, just the right size and it seemed as if they were waiting to give it to Jack. Nodding my head, I urged her to take the bed so she could rest. We had no idea how long we’d be in the shipping lane before anyone found us, or if we would even be noticed. She needed her rest. All growing children required rest. As her eyes closed into sleep, I sighed.

I was alone with Riddick, well as alone as one could be with several others asleep around you. We needed to talk, but now was not the time. He was still in the seat, but his hands were around my waist, pulling me to him by my hips. I went willingly as he sniffed at my neck, memorizing my scent again. For a moment, I thought he was going to just let me stay there, but he didn’t. He spun me around fast and had me sit on the chair next to him. Taking the kit from my hands, he started to work on the cuts that he could find on my legs, sewing up one of the worst ones. My wrists were bleeding, and one looked pretty bad. I smiled a wry smile at him, and he knew that cut had been a diversion, a way to throw the creatures off of one of the other survivors.

When my arms and legs were suitably dressed of their wounds, he motioned for me to turn. He wanted to see my back. I sighed as I shifted and lifted my shirt. I wasn’t going to remove it entirely, not that the broken piece of clothing did much to protect anyway. I could feel his rough fingers glancing over the scabs back there. Strips of the shirt were sticking to the wounds from the dirt, rain, and blood. He did his best to clean those, and I could feel myself relaxing as he ran his fingers up and down the skin. If these were the only marks, aside from his personal imprint, that I would receive on this planet, I was happy. Those wounds were mostly closed anyway. As he soothed away my nerves, I felt the remnants of my shirt sliding down, and I leaned back against him. My back to his front as I drifted off into sleep. He could watch over us, would watch over us, until sleep claimed him as well.

As the darkness overtook me, I knew that we had a few days to go. One part of our journey was done, but there was more to come. Maybe that was the problem. There was only so much that we could handle. I hoped that it wasn’t a merc ship that picked us up, but our luck wasn’t really all that great lately. At least not the last time I checked it. I was safe, for now, in Riddick’s arms and whatever we dealt with when we woke would be something for another time.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It honestly felt like hours since I dropped the cells off at the skiff. I didn’t want to make the others wait that long, but the run back wasn’t easy. There were creatures everywhere, and they all wanted a piece of me. Not that I minded much. I was always up for a good fight. The animal inside of me was demandin’ that I move faster, that I had left our mate out there too long. I wasn’t in disagreement. I just knew when not to push myself too fast. Right now was one of those times I was goin’ to push myself hard. They needed me, and I wasn’t sure I could let them down. 

It’d been a long time since anyone had trusted me. I could see the trust, though, pourin’ out of the eyes of Jack. She trusted me. I still don’t quite understand why, but she did. Autumn, she could have easily turned against me. After all, growin’ up in the slam, you learned that it was you or no one. Protectin’ others, trustin’ others could get you killed faster than anythin’ else. Yet our animals wouldn’t leave each other alone.

With each passin’ second, I knew that I was dyin’ to make her mine fully. To take her and claim her as a man claimed a woman and as a mate claimed a mate. Only, there were still too many people around for that. There would be ‘till we got the survivors elsewhere. It was drivin’ me crazy knowin’ that she was mine but only partially. One thin’ that would come in handy, as long as she didn’t yell at me for it, was that we could feel what each other was feelin’. The longer our bond was formed, the stronger it would be. I could feel her annoyance and her fear. I wondered what was making my woman afraid. To me, she was one of the bravest women I had ever met.

It took someone brave to sacrifice themselves for another. Brave or stupid. There were two ways about it. She was doin’ it the smart way, the fearless way. The only time I remember her bein’ really afraid was when people started to ask about her past. Someone must have asked a question, and she had no choice but to answer it. It only forced me to move faster, push farther down to the cave. I wasn’t goin’ to just leave them there to die.

Soon enough, I saw it. The rock that I’d rolled in front of the cave to try to keep them somewhat safe. Movin’ it out of the way, I pushed my face through and smiled. The others followed dartin’ their eyes back as if tryin’ to tell me somethin’. Honestly, I didn’t care. As the others filed out of the cave, I watched them. That’s when I saw it. The body of Fry just layin’ there haphazardly. I wasn’t gonna say anything. If she had felt she needed to be dealt with, who was I to judge? My mate had my full backin’ on any action necessary to protect the others, especially Jack.

“Anyone not ready for this?”

“There is my god.”

I glared at the holy man and watched as Autumn did the same. Now wasn’t the time to bring religion into this, but I knew he couldn’t resist the dig. After all, I’d made a spectacle of askin’ where God had been when it started rainin’. That was goin’ to be a problem for me. I didn’t want anyone creating chaos just because they didn’t like somethin’ I said. I was not goin’ to apologize either.

Watchin’ as Autumn lined the others up, I was curious. She was puttin’ Jack closest to me because she knew that I’d make sure the girl made it. The others were in a specific order as if to her, the children should be more protected. She was right about that. The rear guard wasn’t a bad thing, but I wasn’t sure I wanted her that far away. She had a shiv, yes, could take care of herself, but I was selfish. I wanted her close.

“When I go, we go. Full throttle, no holding back. We go my speed, or you will be eaten. I will not come back for you a second time.”

My voice carried over the sound of the rain. They heard me loud and clear. I was not goin’ to come back for them again. They had their one chance. If the only ones that managed to keep up were Jack and Autumn, that would be fine by me. They were the ones I was tryin’ to save anyway. I took off in a blink, knowin’ that they would follow. I could hear their pantin’ breaths close to me. Apparently, when they knew that hope was on the horizon, they actually could keep up. I was surprised at Jack, though. She was still growin’ all gangly legs and awkwardness, and yet she was tryin’. That girl was a fighter, just like Autumn.

Jack slipped and I helped her up watchin’ the others. They needed to quit stoppin’ and waitin’. If I didn’t help the girl, my mate would. That was not somethin’ to question. Stoppin’ now was dangerous on all accounts. Getting to the skiff was the only thing that would get them all to safety, and they needed to embrace that.

“You know the way. Run!”

I let my voice slip into a bellow. That seemed to motivate them more, forcin’ them to take off the last bit of the way. We were almost there, just a corner, and then we would have a clear shot to the skiff. Only they stopped, and now we had company. I heard it land, but we couldn’t just stop. Watchin’, I flashed my eyes to Autumn for a moment before I pulled out both my shivs. This was goin’ to be my fight. I wanted her to get the others to the skiff, but I knew if given a choice she’d stay and fight beside me.

It was on. I could hear the grunts, groans, and subtle moans of pain from my mate and myself as we fought our way through the beasts. It was two alphas, in their prime, fightin’ for a fucked up version of family that would probably never indeed be grateful. The scream stops me. I drop the carcass of the one I was cuttin’ up as I turned lightin’ fast. I watched her stagger a moment, the creature catchin’ Autumn in her blindspot. I moved, attackin’ any of them that I could find tryin’ to get to her. I didn’t realize that we had drifted that far away from each other in our fightin’.

Feelin’ one of them get a good swing at me, I felt my body soar through the air before landin’ on the ground in front of Autumn. Not bad. It’s actually where I wanted to be anyway. I watched her flip out. I had seen animals lose it before when someone they cared about was injured. But this, this was something else. She was beautiful and fierce, and I could feel my own animal purr in lust and approval. She was mine. The growl that came from her mouth was feral, and it called to my own inner beast. We would make a deadly combination, and it wasn’t until I put my hand on her shoulder, after standin’ up, that she stopped the growl.

We needed to fight together, and we did. Back to back, we sliced through the creatures as we moved towards the ship. I took a slice to the leg, nothin’ too worry about right now. I’d had worse, and this wasn’t goin’ to stop me. We were close, just a few more feet. I helped get Autumn there, making sure we were in the safety of the metal of the ship before hittin’ the switch to close to hatch doors.

Takin’ the pilot's seat, I started the ship up. I knew that somethin’ was up with Autumn, but we needed to get in the air and fast. I had an idea suddenly, one that I was sure the others would appreciate in hindsight. Alright, so maybe it’s not the best idea, but at least it would get a chuckle out of me.

“Riddick, why’d you stop?”

“We can’t leave yet.”

“Why..”

“We can’t leave until we say goodbye.”

Turnin’ all the lights and engines back on, I steered us straight up into the wide-open spaces. Settin’ a course for the shippin’ lane, I put the ship in auto-pilot. We would coast out here for who knew how long, but someone would find us. Eventually. Standin’ up from the seat, I watch as the others move out of my way as if they knew they couldn’t stop me, to begin with. Autumn is still there, on the floor, and that bothers me. Then I remember that she’s not as used to dealin’ with so much light. Butcher Bay was dark, so even after the shine she’d have still only been around the darkness.

Grabbin’ her right hand, I pull her up and into my arms. It felt better that way, havin’ her there. Gently I start to rub at her temples, willin’ the pain to leave her and her eyes to relax. I can see Jack smile and then she does somethin’ I didn’t expect. She hands over her own goggles. It wasn’t like the girl needed ‘em. Slippin’ the goggles around Autumn's neck, I kissed her ever so gently and moved away. As soon as she slipped them on, I could see the relief in her eyes. Smilin’ down at her I simply waited for her move.

Apparently she thought it was time to play nursemaid as she pushes me into a seat. She knows full well that if I didn’t want to go, she wouldn’t have been able to move me. I let her get me sittin’ as she fished around for the first aid kit. I wasn’t to begrudge her this. We all needed our wounds looked at. She started cleanin’ up my leg and stitchin’ it up, and I could feel her shakin’. I didn’t like it. It wasn’t fear that was causin’ it; it was the pain. That first aid kit didn’t have anythin’ for pain, which, if you think about it, is kinda stupid. When my leg was right, I heard Jack’s question. Girl better hope we don’t hit mercs.

“Gonna be a lot of questions, whoever picks us up. Could even be mercs. So whadda we tell ‘em ‘bout you two?” ** **  
****

“Tell ‘em...Tell ‘em Riddick died somewhere on that planet.”

“No one even knows I exist. No one but the guards at Butcher Bay. They can’t exactly report a convict escaped that they never reported was alive; to begin with, can they. You can tell them whatever you want about me. But wherever Riddick is, I’ll be there with him.”

Her voice quaked, and I wished the others could hear it. Did they not understand what askin’ her those questions did to her? Did they not know that she didn’t know anythin’ about her past, but pain and bringin’ that up was only causin’ her more pain? Maybe not, but I watched the others nod and then slip off into sleep. We all needed rest, especially if we were goin’ to be rescued. We’d done enough runnin’, and now was time to relax for a moment. Grabbin’ my girl by her hips, I pulled her to me and sniffed at her neck. I was inahlin’ her scent, one I couldn’t get enough of. It was goin’ to be the death of me. Well, maybe not, but it was all I had right now. We couldn’t get any closer with the others around, not that way at least.

Sittin’ her down in the chair, I started to bandage her legs and arms, not too happy with one of the cuts on her wrist. I’d have to make sure she realized that usin’ herself as bait was somethin’ she would never do again. Yeah, she’d learn that lesson too. But that would be later also. I might be an ass, but I wasn’t an exhibitionist, at least not if I could help it. That, and there were children around. When I was sure that her arms and legs were bandaged and treated, I made her turn around. I wanted to look at her back, to see if any of her old wounds were re-opened. Runnin’ my fingers across her soft skin was doin’ me in. These small gestures, while intimate, were not enough. My animal was snarlin’ at me in its cage demandin’ that we just take her. I was a bit more civilized than my animal, but it was getting hard to fight.

I cleaned what I could find on her back, making sure to redress some of the cuts that had opened and cleanin’ it all up the best I could. She was a fighter, a warrior queen, and I would make sure she knew that. Wrapping my arms around her, I pulled her down into my lap and let her bandaged back lean against my chest. My movements were meant to soothe, not arouse, and I was hopin’ I could lull her into sleep. My woman needed rest, and she would get it. As she started to drift, I was watchin’ over them. I’d fall asleep soon enough, but I wanted to be sure that we were all safe, for now; and for now, we were.


	10. Alarms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is based on the animated movie Dark Fury that takes place between Pitch Black and Chronicles of Riddick.

Every one of us managed to fall into as restful a sleep as we could. The ship was far too large for the number of people that we had inside of it, but we wouldn’t, couldn’t, complain. We were alive, away from the planet Hades and on our way somewhere else. There wasn’t anything else we could ask for, right? Well, alright. So maybe there was. Freedom would be beautiful, but it wasn’t absolutely vital to this. We needed someone to pick us up, someone to get us on a bigger ship. One with more provisions and the ability to travel faster. This skiff would not make the trip it would take to get us to the next planet over.

We only had enough air to last us maybe another week at most, but I had a gut feeling that someone was going to pick us up soon. There were times when I wished that my feelings weren’t entirely so accurate. After all, the wrong type of people picking us up would be dangerous for all of us. It was, more than likely, going to be a merc ship. Very few cargo ships out here could handle picking up this many passengers. That much I had gathered from the brief conversations that the others had gone through. I wish I knew more than the bits I had learned while in the Slam. It was only a matter of time before something was going to come up and I wouldn’t be prepared for it.

I had dozed off with Riddick’s arms around mine, but when I awoke, they were no longer there. It wasn’t that he was mad at me, he was busy trying to quiet the sounds from the alarms that were going off. They were loud, but I could hear Riddick trying to silence them. There was only so much he could do. After all, I felt the skiff lurch itself. We had been struck by something, and they would reel us in sooner or later. I could hear the computer telling us what was wrong as lights flashed and sirens went off.

“Hull breach contained. Engines running at one hundred and seventy percent capacity. Engine and hull failure imminent under current parameters.”

I watched the convict as his hands deftly moved over the buttons, knobs, and dials. He was trying to kill the engines, trying everything to make us less of a sitting target than we were. Only time would tell who had snagged us, but I had that feeling again that it wasn’t friendlies. So far, my feelings had never been wrong. Not when I trusted my instincts the way they did. If we were going to get into a brawl or a fight, we would both need to be prepared. My eyes looked around at the other survivors, and I could see fear and trepidation from them. They had no idea what to expect.

“Critical systems failure in five seconds. Four seconds. Three seconds. Two seconds. One second.”

Finally Riddick managed to get all the engines turned off, the ship dark and silent. I knew that he was thinking the same thing I had. It was mercs. Who else would it be? Only a merc ship would reel us in like this, creating so much damage that our boat was useless to them. In a way though, I was grateful because I didn’t want to be stuck out there in the shipping lane forever.

“First you’re a boy, then you’re a girl, and now you’re a psychic. Careful what you wish for Jack.”

I could see the fear in the girls' eyes. She hadn’t meant to cause us this kind of problem, yet she had. By the very fact that she mentioned it could be mercs, she had managed to jinx us. I would forgive her after we got out of this mess. I could tell from Riddick’s tone that he was both severe and teasing at the same time. It wasn’t like any of us really expected that we’d be picked up. Before anyone else could say anything we heard a voice over our com systems.

“Unidentified craft. State your purpose and contents.”

We waited for a beat. There was no way that we could be honest with who we were. Most of the merc ships had voice recognition, and with Riddick sitting in the hot chair, if he were to speak, they’d pick him up. He knew that yet we couldn’t really think about that, could we? Could I say something? Would they even have my voice on file? That was a good question.

“Unidentified craft. State your purpose and contents.”

“Unidentified craft. State your purpose and contents.”

With each passing moment that we didn’t respond, I could hear the voice on the other end getting angry with us. They wanted to know who we were, but really, we couldn’t give them a real sense of satisfaction. Moving from the chair, I motioned for Riddick to turn on the coms. If anything, my voice was probably the safest. How could they possibly know who I was when I barely even know myself.

“Names Autumn Fallon. A survivor from the crash of the cargo ship Hunter-Gratzner on the plant Hades in the Tangiers System. The only other survivors from that mess are with me. Outside of that, we have nothing.”

I managed to keep my voice steady, giving them the name that was given to me in the slam. For all I knew, it wasn’t even my real name. The longer I was away from the Bay, the more questions I had. Maybe it was merely because my mate didn’t know who his parents were either that had driven me to ask these questions. I wanted to know where I came from, the people that I belonged too. Would I get an answer to my question?

“Tell me, Ms. Fallon. What brings you to the lovely corner of space?”

“Just someone trying to get somewhere else when our ship crashed.”

“I see.”

There wasn’t more conversation than that, not from that man. He seemed to not really buy my story, but what was I to say? It wasn’t exactly like I could sit there and tell him that I was an escaped convict and that I had no idea where I really was headed. It wasn’t that bad of a situation, at least for me. I just had no idea what to expect once the skiff was breached. A thought struck me, but I watched as Riddick seemed to get the same purpose.

I heard the click of a lighter and saw a brief flash of light as the cutting torch was bright and held against the fire suppression system that was alive in the ship. It was a dangerous idea, trying to fill the cabin with foam. Though it would give us, Riddick and I, a more significant advantage. If we could hold out until they breached, we could take out the right amount of mercs or whoever they were to even the numbers. There would be bloodstains covering everything if I had my way. Maybe that was also part of the problem. It was really our only shot.

“Everyone take a deep breath, hold it for as long as you can. Most importantly, do not under any circumstances draw their attention too you.”

I watch as it clicked in everyone’s minds what we intended to do. Making sure my goggles were secure on my face, I turned and looked at the survivors. We had come through so much on that planet, and now we were going to deal with more. I had a feeling that out of all of us, Jack and Imam would probably be the ones that they tried to use against us. It was just this gut feeling that I had that I could not fight. If they were scanning us, they could probably find out who we were by sight if not by voice. Then again, if I was lucky, I wasn’t in the system. Not like Riddick.

All I could do was wait, wait for the foam to burst through the cabin and fill it. They would breach soon enough and force their way into our little world. I could only hope that it was in some arena that would give me a better idea of how to fight what was going to happen. Would they allow us that respite? Would we be able to even make it through this mess? I just wanted to sleep, honestly, but there was more than enough going on to put a stop to the idea.

One of the few advantages of the foam, aside from offering us cover, was that it would erase the exact number of life signs they could detect. The fewer of us knew about, the better. Though I hoped that the others were smart enough to get off of the ship before it got jettisoned back into space. That would be bad, after all. So I kept waiting for the fire system to do precisely what it was meant to do.

As the foam surrounded us, I tried to keep my cool. I could hear the sounds, the men walking on the metal heading our way. This was the chance for them to show us how powerful they thought they were. Of course, I could hear every word they were saying, which was kind of stupid, considering they were a threat. Then again, I had no doubt that Riddick had heard it too. Our animals allowed us to pick up sounds and smells at a greater distance than most humans could. It was an advantage we would use to the best of our abilities.

“Anything?”

“No sir. No one’s been in or out of this bay since I locked it down myself. Zero atmosphere.”

“Pressurize.”

“We’ve got O2 sir. It’s thin but breathable. Green for breach.”

“Earn your keep.”

Soon enough, the hatch door was hacked open and blasted out, the foam pouring out from inside the vessel. It wouldn’t have been so bad on the mercs if they hadn’t had the room set at zero-g. Floating through the air, there was no way that they could move fast enough to escape the onslaught. They would, effectively, be trapped by the resultant explosion of foam and left to our mercy. I was quite sure that Riddick would be going to the area before me. He was always so much faster than I was. It was also probably because I was fighting through exhaustion and hadn’t really had a chance to learn to how to work precisely as a team with him.

As the foam filled the void and stopped, I could hear a masculine voice ordering the others to fall back. He understood our idea, but it was too late. It sounded like the same voice, the one I had greeted earlier when they had demanded to know who we were. Oh, he wasn’t going to like us at all when he realized that those still trapped within the foam were toast. Blood started to coat the foam, and I burst from the ship into the chaos. I sliced and diced my way through whatever bodies I could find, always aware that Riddick was nearby but not in danger of my actions or my shivs. I couldn’t worry about Jack, or at least I tried not too. We needed to get out of this mess and assess the situation.

As I was pushing through the bodies, I saw Jack’s head pop out a moment, and Imam’s, as well as they, took in a lung full of air before being pulled back in the foam. The others dotted out as well, venturing for a split second. It was enough time to show anyone that was around vulnerable targets, and I hated it. I couldn’t move very well in this mess, and I needed to get out of the foam soon if I was going to make it out of there alive.

Finally I burst through the foam, watching as Riddick flung himself at several of the gunmen. They were trying to take him out, but he was smarter than they were - quicker too. There was a reason the price on Riddick’s head was so high. He was tough to catch and very hard to kill. Those idiotic enough to try usually ended up dead before everything was said and done. Voices caught my ears, and I wanted to scream out in rage at Jack to just shut up for once.

“You certainly know how to make an entrance.”

“That’s nothing scarecrow. They’re going to kick your ass so...”

She was pulled back into the foam by someone, I could only hope Imam or Shazza or even Zeke. Someone that hopefully would be strong enough to keep her from doing stupid shit again. Why couldn’t she just keep her mouth shut? It was because of her that we would find ourselves in trouble later, I just knew it, and yet I didn’t want anything to happen to her. I was already attached, already afraid of what was going to happen if she died.

I watched from my vantage point as Jack came out of the foam again only to have the man in the white lab coat, the man that had been talking to us this whole time, land on her back, shoving her to the ground, and pinning her there with the gun. This wouldn’t do. Launching myself, much like Riddick had, I landed on the ground near the merc. My shiv was pressed tight against his neck, waiting for his finger to get twitchy. It was a sign, daring them to do it, to kill the girl. They thought Riddick was terrible, they’d not even seen the amount of damage I could do. If they killed her, my animal would tear them to pieces, slowly, and savor every moment of it.

“I think not.”

Every word out of his mouth made me growl. I wanted him to know that he didn’t scare me. I was going to make him pay, that much was obvious. As my attention was on this strange man and Jack, I wasn’t aware of what was going on with Riddick. I was not completely oblivious, just unafraid that he would get hurt. He could take care of himself, that much I did know. Risking it a moment, I stared at him as he was choking the life out of one of the mercs. He sent me an appreciative glance, one that meant he liked that I had that blade on the man's neck. Though we both knew that I wouldn't use it. Yet.

I watched as the man in the white coat turned and stared at Riddick. He was obviously not scared of the convict, and I wondered for a moment if they even knew who he was. I was the nobody, the unknown element. It should be me that he was afraid of, but yet he was ignoring me as if I wasn't’ even there. What the hell was going on?

“Call off your lap dog before his tryin’ to impress you gets him killed.”

“Am I so obvious?”

“Call it what you want but tell him to stand down. Now.”

“You’ll have to excuse Junner’s excitement. It sometimes makes him a touch _quick._ Though I can’t say, I blame him. You see, he’s just heard so much about you, _Riddick._ Yes, I know your name. Quite a bit more about you, I think.”

“Careful. You may find what you’re diggin’ for..”

“I’m willing to share, of course, but I must ask that you surrender your weapons. Before any more of my _apparently_ overpaid associates come to an untimely end.”

“Mmm. Not gonna happen.”

“No?”

For a moment I was confused. There was this banter back and forth between this strange woman and Riddick. The moment her voice cleared the area, I was drawn to her. My eyes darted up and watched her, taking in her looks. She was skinny, the kind of thin that if on a convict would make me think that they’d been starved near to death. Her hair was long and white, and she wore the gaudiest pieces of jewelry I had ever seen to this day. I don’t understand some people like this. Why in all the years would she willingly subjugate herself to this kind of torture? It was clear she had money and status from her tone of voice, yet she seemed fit on looking like a freak of nature.

I watched as the man, Junner, squeezed the trigger some that he aimed over Jack. It was a challenge. They are daring Riddick to drop his weapons and me to drop mine. If we did so, then what good were we? True, we could try to kill them all, but now would not be the most opportune time, and it would more than likely end in Jack being murdered before my very eyes. Still, I pressed the blade a bit harder against Junner’s throat as he squeezed the trigger just a fraction more. I would kill him almost as quickly as he was willing to kill Jack.

“The girl is nothin’ to me.”

“Then enlighten me. Why would a stone-cold killer such as yourself go through all the trouble of keeping the likes of her alive. Unless, of course, you’ve grown attached.”

“She’s a cover story. Nothin’ more. You shoot her now, you’d be savin’ me the trouble.”

“Then I have your blessing?”

I knew that Riddick was lying, my animal could smell it. I just hoped that Jack would understand as well. Sometimes in this world, we say what we have to say to see just how serious someone was. Riddick wouldn’t let them kill her, he’d grown too attached to the young girl, but he couldn’t show that yet. I could feel myself growing edgy, restless. I wanted to be near Riddick, to have him touch me and let me know that this was all some stupid dream. Yet I knew for a fact that it wasn’t a dream. This was really happening.

Jack was whimpering and moaning as Junner pressed the end of his bladed gun to the girl’s forehead. If only she could calm down. He wouldn’t think of her as a target, as someone to attack if she looked at death without fear. I knew that she was just a child, though, and she was scared. The scent of it filled the air. There was nothing that would stop her from being terrified, except maybe the sleep that comes with freedom. For now, she just had to trust that we, Riddick and I, would get her out of this mess if we can.

I watch as a shiv comes barrelling into the gun held by Junner. My knife drops to the ground as well, knowing that if Riddick gave up his weapons, I should do the same. This is what I didn’t understand. We could take them, the woman, whoever she was, had turned her back on us. A quick throw would have been all it took to take her out and end this. It just didn’t feel like the right time. She would get hers, in the end, but right now I could feel that Riddick and I needed to play this out.

“Maybe I know more about you than you do yourself.”

“Now just ain’t the time.”

I watched as Riddick broke the neck of the merc that he’d been strangling this whole time. They were nothing to us, nothing but fodder that got in our way. I would never feel bad for the mercs that I killed. When they signed on for that, they knew what they were getting into, the kinds of things that would face them. We weren’t here because we played excellently. We were alive because we very much killed first and then asked questions later to sort out the mess. If we even cared to sort out the mess.

“Lock them down. We’re done here.”

“My apologizes.”

“You know how worthless those are to me. You did well. People die in this line of work, Junner. A handful of men, a small price to pay.”

“What will you do with them?”

“Slowly Junner. Have Riddick, and the girl brought to my conservatory. I’ve something _beautiful_ in mind. And Junner? Unfreeze some more mercs.”

I heard the woman and Junner talking as the remaining mercs work to secure bindings on the survivors from the skiff along with myself and Riddick. We allowed ourselves, at that moment, to be captured. I had no doubt that if we wanted too, we could have ripped them all to pieces long before they would have gotten close to us. I could see Jack looking at me, her eyes wide as they strapped chains to me. I was dangerous, just like the big man over there, and there was nothing to change that. I still had the advantage of being the unknown element, they didn’t have any clue who I really was.

I wanted to know what this woman meant by beautiful. The very essence of the word terrified me. Riddick had called me beautiful not long after we had first met. Not being able to see, I wouldn’t really know what that meant. I had to be dull or, at the very least ugly. If he thought I was beautiful, then I shuddered to think what this merc woman would assume. An old Earth saying, ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder.’ Well I guess we would find out soon enough.

The mercs started to drag the others out while they wheeled Riddick and me. I wanted to claw out of the chains, claw away to my knives. I couldn’t believe that they had my weapons. That was not a good thing. Especially since Riddick had told me not to lose it. He had made me that shiv, specifically, and knowing that it was still there on the floor drove me to madness. I would get out of these chains, and, when I did, hell would be had. That much my animal was sure of. Still in the position that they put me in, I was able to lean forward barely and inhale the calming scent of my mate. Something about Riddick kept me calm, kept me from breaking the chains and going on a rampage right there.

We were taken through corridors. All around us were mercs suspended in deep cryo it looked like. The very notion of it terrified me but only to a point. They obviously knew what they had signed on for when they took the job, right? Were they that stupid that they didn’t even know that they would be semi-frozen for who knows how long? It was mind-boggling, indeed, and then the conversation that the others seemed to have. It was enough to set me on edge, without any extra work.

“Have you _ever_ seen anything like this before?”

“Merc ships? Plenty. Just tryin’ to figure out how it all goes together”

“It is a plantation operation. A boat like this loads up at the port, signs up as many men as it can hold, then goes out for months, sometimes years at a time. However long it takes to fill their stores”

“‘Cept a merchant rig’s usually harvesting ore. Maybe crops. Not people.”

“Captured bounties on one side, contracted manpower on the other.”

“Just add heat.”

“You know a lot about this shit, for a holy man.”

“I hear things.”

Up until this point, I hadn’t really said anything. The conversation was mainly between Riddick and Imam, with Jack throwing in a smart comment here or there. It wasn't that I didn’t have anything to say, it was that my questions seemed stupid in the long run. I was raised inside a slam, educated by a former teacher from New Mecca, and yet I didn’t understand half of what they were talking about. The world outside of the walls of Butcher Bay was foreign to me. That was why I kept my mouth shut. What could I possibly say that wouldn’t make me seem stupid? Instead, I chose to bury my head in Riddick’s neck, our two carts being so close together that I had freedom of movement. I wished he could wrap his arms around me, but that would have to come later.

My eyes were closed as I breathed in the scent of the only man in the entire universe that could keep me calm. I wasn’t asleep, far from it in fact, but I was playing opossum. Maybe if the guards thought that I was sleeping, they’d be more willing to talk around me. It was amazing what you could learn when the mercs were stupid enough to let their guard down. I saw one of them nudge me with his gun. It was a big merc, one that looked like could use more exercise than anyone else. It was quite clear that he was probably a lifer in this, not someone that signed up for the thrill of it. He’d be the first I killed when I got my weapons back.

“Must be a special kind of desperate _dick_ that signs on to this.”

I watched as the merc hit Riddick across the face with the butt of his gun. Oh yes, someone had struck a nerve. Not like it mattered. They had no idea who they were dealing with, honestly. He was just yanking their chain because they allowed him to. If they turned him out, didn’t take personally what he said, there would be no reason for him to speak at all. The blow was hard enough that Riddick’s face turned to see me. No, it wasn’t from the strike itself. He moved with it to lessen the ‘pain’ of it. Looking into my eyes for a moment, he smirked before going back to taunting the merc.

“You’re the exception, of course. For you, it’s a life experience.”

Nothing else is said at that point because it appeared as if we had reached our destination. I watched as the others were taken in various directions. I could only hope that we could find them all again, eventually. It wouldn’t do us any good to have them scour the ship, searching for the remainder of our party. Still, it was strange enough that Shazza, Zeke, and Paris had been quiet up until that point. Glancing a look at them, I could see in their eyes that they trusted us to get them out of this. They didn’t want to cause us any more grief, so they were working to keep themselves in check. For that, I could only silently thank them with my eyes. Still, each of them was pulled away into different directions, Imam leaving us with ever so familiar words.

“I will pray.”

“Not for me.”

“Set them down and leave.”

It was the same conversation that Riddick and the holy man seemed to have each time. Why the man feels the need to do it, I had yet to find out. Then again, it could very well be a code word, and I was just not in on it. I wondered if my silence had the convict worried yet. Was my inability to say anything creating more confusion and danger for him? I would say something when the time was right. It just wasn’t the right time then. At least, not from where I sat. When the others were out of sight, Riddick and I were wheeled into another room and removed from our bondings, mostly. Our hands were still tied as if chains would be enough to stop us from hurting them. They had no idea who they were really fucking with. I couldn’t wait to show them.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing as we were wheeled into the final room, Junner standing there. This was supposedly the woman’s conservatory. It was garish. Naked figures of men and women were everywhere. Each one was a statue that looked to be in some state of agony when it was created. I could only hope that they really were statues. Some were standing on top of others, on full display for the world to see. Or the world that bothered to come into this room. Standing there, right beside Riddick, I was afraid to venture into the room. There was this feeling, like something terrible was in the air, and it hung over us in thick clouds. My instincts were telling me to run, to hide.

We followed Junner a few feet as we came across the large statues that were, themselves, on display alone. One, in particular, caught my eye, and Riddick’s as well. He seemed to be a warrior, a fighter, and for a moment, I thought maybe he had traits similar to Riddicks. They could even be from the same people because I knew to look at Riddick, he wasn't entirely human. Riddick just hummed to himself as we looked down at the nameplate that decorated the base of the statue. _Killer of Men. FURYA._ It was as if they were trying to tell us something. I felt a strange sort of kinship with the man and had no idea why.

My gaze tore to Riddick as he reached out and touched the statute. I could tell by his actions that it felt far too real to be anything but alive. No statue should look like that, or even think like that. No, this was something else, and I had a bad feeling that we weren’t going to like the answers we were given. Would she offer up any additional information if we asked for it? Like, I don’t know, her name? At least that had been the thought that ran through my head. We needed information, but we also needed to watch. Riddick had his back to Junner, and I could feel the motion move through the air. Kicking out with my leg, I hit his arm and knocked whatever it was from his hand and heard it go flying. Just at the same moment, a door opened from somewhere else in the room.

That noise was enough to distract me, and for Junner to be able to strike Riddick again. The injection was quick, and a part of me wanted to know what the hell he had done. It was dangerous to piss off that convict, but they’d managed to do so. Only, they weren’t smart enough to know that by his tone, he wasn’t going to cooperate. Riddick had a certain air about him that most people found intimidating. So far, he’d actually been playing nice, we both had. Now they’d gone and done something stupid.

“Alright. Now you have my attention.”

“A necessary precaution. You attempt anything uncivilized, killing me; for instance, I detonate the explosive charge Junner’s just implanted and sleep very well tonight.”

The growl that escaped my mouth could only be described as feral. Someone had dared to threaten my mate, to do something to him that would hurt him. I would not let this go. I was a fraction of a second away from launching myself at her when I felt hands on my shoulders. Firm but gentle fingers digging into the muscles and soothing the pain away. Riddick was trying to calm me, to relax me. I didn’t understand why I was getting so worked up so quickly, this had never happened before. I was on edge, and the animal inside of me was whimpering. Not in fear, but in anger and jealousy. She wanted to prove to Riddick that we were the right choice in a mate, and I felt his thumb move against my bite mark. I couldn’t hide the moan that escaped at that action, the volume of it loud enough for only Riddick to pick up on.

Calmed down somewhat, I was waiting to see the outcome of this little showdown. We still didn't know who she was, and I needed to find out. There was no way she had any idea who I was, but then again, she didn’t seem to care. The fact that I was a killer and a convict right along with Riddick was enough for her to consider me here. If she knew more about Riddick than anyone else, there was a good chance that she knew about me. At least that’s the thought that ran through my head as I kept my stance in front of Riddick, with his hands on my shoulders. We were simply waiting, biding our time.

“Walk with me.”

It wasn’t like we had much choice. We had to follow along with her, or we risked angering her. I would do nothing that would force her into detonating the explosive charge. He would not die that way. No, if he was going to die, it would be an honorable death, one where he went out fighting. Not that it would happen any time soon. Riddick was hard as hell to kill, just ask the creatures on the planet we just escaped, the mercs we’d slaughtered coming out of the ship.

“You’re not putting me on a pedestal.”

“No, of course not. You both are strictly for my private collection.”

That sat me on edge again. We walked with her, and as we did, it clicked. What I thought were statues were anything but. They were, in fact, living breathing people, men, and women who seemed frozen in time. This is what she wanted to do to us, to Riddick and me. I could feel the bile rise in my throat. It was disgusting to think about, and yet I couldn’t stop. Not until we knew for sure what she planned for us. We would not end up like the statues.

As we walked, something caught my eye. I saw words flash across a screen and then answers selected. It was a tablet that seemed to be linked to someone else's. By the looks of it, they were unfreezing mercs. The one in particular whose name caught my attention was Toombs. I’d heard the name before. Once when I was a little younger. I had no doubt, though, that Riddick was quite familiar with most of the mercs in the system. After all, most wanted a chance at taking in the notorious convict. I wanted to say something but now wasn’t the time. My thoughts were pulled away from the tablet as I heard Riddick humming to himself. My voice broke them apart before much was said.

“Who the hell are you, woman? Where are we?”

“Why I thought you would have heard of me, dear Autumn. My name does tend to get around in the Slams. Antonia Chillingsworth and this is my ship, the Dark Fury. Don’t worry, dear. When I put you on display in my collection, I’ll make sure you’re right alongside your Riddick.”

What I couldn’t understand was why? I stared up at the woman and almost fainted. I knew the name. How could I not? She’d been the one that had captured my mother, the woman that birthed me. She was the reason I was in the slam when I was born. This merc woman had taken everything from me, and now I had a chance to find out why only I wasn’t sure that I wanted to know. Something told me that the answers were here, that I just needed to look a little closer to find them.

“Okay. You go through all the trouble to catch these guys, and this is what you do with them?”

“You’re missing the point.”

“What point? You got a million UD’s standin’ around collectin’ dust.”

“You underestimate their value, Riddick. They are priceless. Each at one time, the most wanted man or woman in the known universe. The number of lives ended at the hand of those living and breathing in this room is incalculable.”

“Ain’t what I’d call livin’.”

“Me either. This isn’t living, it’s sick and twisted.”

“Just the same. I assure you they are all very much alive. Each one sustained in the form of cryo so profound that seconds seem weeks, and to blink an eye is a day's work. The brain, however, continues to function unimpeded. The mind continues to think and feel, swarming with whatever dark thoughts it trapped with. As it will be for hundreds of years. So much more fitting a fate than dropping them off at the nearest slam. Here they are appreciated for what they truly are. Transformed into objects on par their lives work. And why? Because I gave them the audience, they so desperately desired. The recognition they bought with the blood of others. I understood their actions, stripped free of moral convention. Don’t you see it? They’re something greater now, Riddick. Something more than they ever were before. Art.”

As she talked and her words washed over me, we followed her. I could barely hold in the rage and disgust. She wanted to turn us into statues. Living, breathing, specimens that she could gawk at whenever she felt like it. That was not alright with me in the least. What could we do, though? It was clear she had something up her sleeve, and we needed to be prepared for it, whatever it was. I was more than sure that Riddick had a plan, but it wasn’t like I could read his mind. I would, however, go along with whatever he thought, but we needed to keep her talking. For now. It was clear this woman, Antonia would reveal her master plan to us, giving us a chance to foil it.

“Lady. Your taste sucks.”

“I... expected as much. Junner.”

We watched as she called out to her henchmen and the red curtain that had been in front of us opens. The room that we were in was circular in nature, with a table in the middle. More enormous statues surrounding it, as if on personal display. I was scared about what she was about to do when that curtain opened, and, for a moment, I held my breath. We were pretty high up in the ship, and if it opened into something, this couldn’t be good. A part of me wondered what else she had in store for us. Our test wasn’t over, that much was evident because we weren’t dead and she hadn’t really gotten to her master plan.

“You see Riddick. There’s a fundamental difference between you and I.”

“Yeah, you’re a psychopath.”

“Ain’t that the truth. A really fucked up psychopath that needs a few lessons in art.”

“You don’t appreciate art, but I believe the reason for this is something very different from what you or anyone else might think. You’re both artists.”

“I been called a lot of things in my day..that ain’t one of ‘em.”

“Nor mine.”

“You make art Riddick. You as well, Autumn. Not analyze it. You shape it with your own hands, carve it from flesh and bone, but a person like you doesn’t understand such a thing by being lectured. You must experience it.”

I watched as the lights go out and the room filled with the dark color of red as she spoke. Junner was pressing buttons on some sort of control system, and we had yet to move to the edge of the circular platform. Only, I was afraid to. I didn’t want to know what they had in store for me because, in my mind, it was something awful. Something that will probably make looking like getting off that planet a nightmare. As it was, we had already pissed the woman off to the point that she would probably kill us before actually turning us into statues. Not that it would do her any good. For a moment I was scared, and Riddick’s voice didn’t help.

“Oh shit.”

I moved to the end with him, standing side by side and staring down into the pit. It was clear there was a solid floor there. How else would they expect us to fight?. Suspended off the ground on giant metal balls were Shazza, Jack, and Imam. Around their necks was a metal collar that ejected them from the ceiling. It was clear that if they weren’t standing on the balls, they would be dead. Hanged to death by the sheer force of their own bodies. It was a cruel thing to do to us. I couldn't outwardly see a threat to them, but I knew it was there. Something would be getting in our way when it came to rescue our friends.

“I said I’d find you didn’t I?”

“What do you want?”

“To watch you work. Both of you. I’ve spent the latter half of my life observing fantastical things. The work of terrible men, men such as yourself, but it’s always after the fact when the moment of bloody creation is cold and past. _That_ changes now.”

That’s when I heard it. Jack’s voice breaking through, and Riddick demanding answers. Only the explanations that we get didn’t settle with me. If she wanted to see my work, I was happy too. I’d gladly carve her up to pieces for threatening my family like this. I watched out of the corner of my eye as Junner pressed another button on that damned control panel, and I heard the creatures below gear up. Whatever they were, they were going to be fierce competition. How could they not be, considering who Riddick was? Obviously, she’d been trying to find a way to test him, capture him for years. It wouldn’t be easy to do if the challenge was anything but challenging.

I watched as Antonia crawled up and spread herself out on the table in the middle of the room. It was the perfect vantage point. Gave her an ideal chance to look down and watch us work. I wanted to kill her right there, to slide my shiv so far in her head that I popped her eye out the back. Yet I couldn't. I had to think about protecting Riddick and Jack, the others too. They were people that were counting on us, and I wouldn’t let them down. Not again. I felt like a part of this was my fault, that if I hadn’t stowed away on the Hunter-Gratzner, maybe we wouldn’t be in this mess.

“I need to see it Riddick, Autumn. I need to see it with my own eyes, as it happens.”

“We get out of there alive, and you’ll see it again, this close.”

I watched as my mate moved in closer to the woman, trying to scare her. Hell, it would scare me to have him that close to my face as he talked. It was clear that with every word the woman spoke, he was getting angrier and angrier. I would never understand why people couldn’t see the subtle shift in him, could tell when he went from joking to actually being offended. If anything, Riddick was far more expressive with his words than people ever gave him credit for. As he was leaning in close, I watched the woman taunt him with his own blade, dragging it just under his chin. If she drew blood, there would be nothing stopping me from hurting her. As it was, I fought back the growl, but it still escaped. He was mine, and she had no right to touch him.

“No Riddick, I want your masterpiece. An artist is nothing without their instruments.”

I watched then as Riddick stood and she flicked his shiv to the ground. My two shivs joined them, and for a moment, I looked confused, then it clicked. She wanted us to take on whatever was down there, to watch us try, and maybe fail to save those that we care for. She could care less if the others live or die, what she wants in the show. We’d give her an appearance that much I could guarantee. I doubt she’d be thrilled with it when we were done. After all, neither Riddick nor myself were much for following directions, or the plans of others. It didn’t take either of us long to scramble over and pick up our weapons. The one problem? We were still bound by our hands, but that honestly wasn’t that much of a problem at all. We could fight with our hands tied.

Junner moved closer to Riddick, and I couldn’t help but smile at the man. My mate always seemed to have something to say, and when he did, he backed it up. Riddick never made idle threats. If he promised to do something, he did it, regardless of what it cost him. Getting us off that planet was proof enough of that. Instead of saying anything, I just moved closer behind Riddick and placed a kiss gently against his back. I was offering my support as I eyed two mercs near me.

“When we meet again, I’m gonna bury this.. in your eye.”

The lights were right for us, dark enough that we can see without our goggles. We wouldn’t need them. They wanted a show, and they would make sure that we had the best advantage. After all, what was the point in hindering us, their masterpiece? Riddick was in the lead, I would follow, but I had my own plan. I was trying to calculate how long it would take me to take one of the mercs down and use the other as a shield to make it over. I doubted they would honestly put up much of a fight. None of them looked skilled enough to take on either of us.

The two mercs I was eyeing was guarding the ‘arena’ but they would let us in. If they didn’t well, I would make them. I had weapons now, nothing was stopping me from trying to take them on. Nothing but Riddick and my own uncertainty of what kind of mess we’d be trying to get Jack and the others out of. It was going to take quick thinking, quick planning and a whole lot of guts and gumption to get out of this mess.

“Let them in.”

Riddicks movements were quick and clean. Taking one out with a swift kick to the head, he punched the other before grabbing the third, the fat man he taunted earlier and taking him down to the ground. I watched as he used the other man’s body as a shield and pillow, lessening the blow to his own. It was my idea, and I was glad to see it was his too. We were more alike than people thought. Taking my chance, I grabbed one of the mercs also and jumped with him over the edge. Only, I didn’t land on the ground, which for a moment shocked me. I wasn’t expecting to fall in anyone’s arms, because I hadn’t been aiming for that. I would figure out later why he felt the need to pluck me out of the air. Before I could overthink it, he kissed me hard and fast before sliding me down to stand and prepare for battle. I took my fighting stance, right beside him.

“Go Ultraviolet.”

I could hear the woman’s voice even from here. If she thought it would hinder us, she was wrong. We see in ultraviolet. The way we see objects in the darkness, covered in the soft glow of the purple that our irises pick out. I at once felt at ease. Though, I was sure that whatever lay in store for us is also something that has no trouble seeing in this kind of light. I didn’t have much experience with creatures or others with my set of eyes, so I had no idea. Whatever it was, though, I would slice and dice away until it was dead and I was the only one left alive. I was waiting. Together we would get out of this.

“I was on a pilgrimage.”

“It’s bad huh.”

“Jack. Who got you guys off that planet?”

“You and Riddick?”

“Alright, so who’s going to get you out of this?”

I could feel the mood shift in the air. They were scared, and they had the right to be. Anyone should when strapped into the contraption that they were in. One wrong move and they could be hanged to death. It wasn’t really the way we wanted them to go out, and I would do my best to protect them and Riddick as much as we could. With my hands still bound, all I could do is wait and see what these creatures were capable of. I had a clue that Riddick knew precisely what we were about to face. He rarely gave anything away though, so I figured they were something we could actually take on.

Knowing that Riddick was close to me was enough to make me calm. My goggles were up, I didn’t need them in this view. I could see clearly, all the dangers that were ahead of us. There were two creatures; they looked like squids with metal parts at least. I have no idea what the hell they are, but they don’t look anything reasonable. As they come in, I watch as their tentacles capture the two mercs that we brought down there with us, the gunfire useless against the creatures. In their limbs, the animals had this barb, and I watched as they punctured the skin of the mercs, watched as the mercs seemed to melt into nothing. Making a mental note to stay the hell away from the barbs, I moved out of the way.

The fight was on. We dodged and shifted and did what we could until our hands were free. With the chains, it made it hard to move like we needed too. I watched in horror as Riddick was thrown backward into the ball that was underneath Jacks’ feet. She was hanging there for a moment before Imam moved his over. When they were both balanced on the ball, I moved back to attack mode. Oh, I was pissed off. No one and I means no one attacked my mate like that and got away with it. Jumping, I landed up near the heart of the creature. Driving my shiv into its core, I watched as it flailed a moment before slicing through my chains. I was free. At least more open than before. There was a growl that was coming from my throat, one that any creature should have taken in and known that it meant I was pissed.

As we were fighting the other one, the only one left, the one I had killed made one last flail with its tentacles, and Imam threw his ball out at the creature. Both of them were now hanging by their necks, trying to pull themselves up. Shazza was trying to maneuver her ball over to them so that all three could be balanced. We needed to get them down and fast, but how? Before I could form a plan, Riddick was jumping and slicing through the ropes that held them, watching as all three fell to the ground. He was still chained, his hands at least, but that didn’t really stop him from being dangerous to the creature.

“Get her on her feet.”

“I cannot see!”

“You don’t want too”

I watched as Riddick moved closer and allowed them to free his hands. These creatures really did have no idea who they were fucking with. This was his fight, though, I didn’t need to be in the way. I wanted to watch him, study him, not in the wrong direction. He was a magnificent specimen of a man, dangerous and lethal. Watching him kill was like watching a dance. Fluid and poetic, and I loved it. The animal inside of me was panting in lust after the man, and I was trying to fight down the urge. Honestly, why was this affecting me so? I could feel the mark on my neck throb as if in anticipation of something.

“You wanna go? Let’s go.”

“Beautiful, beautiful creature.”

“Shrill is quite an exquisite species.”

“I’m talking about the man.”

I crouched down low by the three survivors and growled. I was trying to get them to understand that they needed to stay as still as possible. Riddick needed no distractions, and trying to protect them would get him injured or killed, and I wouldn’t allow that. Both of my shivs were out, and I watched as the man I was falling for got tangled up in the tentacles of the remaining shrill. I grabbed Jack before she could get up and cause any problems. Shoving the girl down into the arms of Shazza, I took off. Picking up one of the sliced off tentacles, I attacked the shrill. It was supposed to serve as a distraction, a way to get them to drop one of Riddick’s arms. It worked. I watched as he freed one hand, and I threw him, my shiv. I knew he’d know to catch it without much hesitation. He was a master with blades, and even in the darkness he could hear the sound of it whipping through the air.

He dispatched the creature not too long after that. The fights in total hadn’t taken more than maybe five minutes, but it seemed to feel like forever. When the adrenaline was coursing through my body, I felt alive. I knew, however, that when all was said and done, we’d all crash into sleep. The fight wasn’t over, we still had to find a way off the ship, and I had to figure out how to get that damned explosive out of Riddick’s neck. Though I knew he was thinking that too. We would not allow them to blow any of us up, not now.

As the fight ended, the lights came back on regularly. I slipped my goggles back in place, the same as Riddick, as we waited. Antonia was still a threat, even in semi-control for now. We needed to wait for her next move as we thought about ours. I was beside Riddick, my hand on his shoulder, showing him that he had my support. He had one hand around my waist, holding me close. To anyone not paying attention, it might not seem like much, but we were presenting a united front. We were a team, the two of us together, or nothing at all. Both dangerous alone, but along a masterpiece.

“Bravo! The grace, the expression, the sheer violence of it. Exquisite.”

As Antonia was talking, I watched Riddick mumble something to the others. They didn’t seem to quite hear him, but I did. He wanted a shiv, the one of mine he had borrowed was still buried in the heart of the last shrill he took down. Trying to keep my movements from catching anyone's eye, I gently placed a kiss on Riddick’s neck as I handed him over my last weapon. His shiv was somewhere on the ground, but we couldn’t stop for it yet. He’d find it, but for now, he needed to borrow the one I had. When it was pressed into his hands, I moved and scooped up his own knife. Oh how beautiful these things were, when properly made.

“Such complete and thorough performance. It leaves only one question...How will I ever have you both mounted, to do it justice?”

I watched the smirk grace Riddick's face as he brought the knife up to his neck. Slicing at the skin, he opened a hole big enough for him to dig the explosive out. We didn’t need that on his person, and we needed to get out of there as fast as we could. I wasn’t going to question his actions, I’d already learned that he always had a plan. Until we were safe, his mind was going to be working through probably a million scenarios. Each one with its own divergent until one idea actually went through. We were going to get out of this.

I watched as Antonia freaked out at Riddick pulling out the explosive and she went for the detonator. I could hear her voice, and I wanted to jump up and bury my shiv in her eye, but I couldn't. Not right then. She was a bitch and a half, and a part of me wondered just how much longer she was going to survive. If she thought that trying to capture Riddick or even myself was going to be easy, she had a lot to learn. We were dangerous, we were escapees, and we were a team.

“Looks like you’ll both have to be an abstract piece.”

“Down Now!”

He threw it against one of the back walls as Shazza, Imam and Jack take cover. I wasn’t fast enough to make it, and I was still standing when the things went off. I felt a bit of shrapnel tear into my shoulder, but I wasn’t going to cry out. When the dust settled, we needed to move and move we did. All of us tore through the new opening and were heading down the ship. I hoped that Riddick knew where he was going. After all, he’d been on more merc ships than I had. Just before we fled, I could hear Antonia speaking to Junner again.

“We’ll need to rouse a substantial pursuit force.”

“Who?”  
“All of them, even the golls. Any man or thing that can hold a weapon. Every last one! Now!”

I tried not to overthink about what that meant. We weren’t going to be free unless we could get to a ship that would get us out of here. As we were running, I ended up taking a turn away from the others. Riddick would keep them safe, and I would meet back up with them eventually. My feet made no sounds as I moved through the halls. I just hoped that Riddick didn’t come looking for me as we were going. His job was far more critical than mine. My eyes took in what I was seeing, and I unconsciously bumped into someone.

Staring at me was someone that looked like she’d rather be anywhere but where she was. In her hand was a tablet, with the same display that I had seen before, in Antonia’s quarters before we went into the pit. I didn’t want to hurt the girl, but I needed to know if she was friend or foe. She looked familiar to me, but I couldn’t place why. My brain was muddled with a lack of sleep, hunger, and pain. My shiv was clutched tightly in my hand, and she saw it, but it didn’t make her run.

“Miss Fallon, you need to get back to Riddick. I’m going to hold them off as long as possible, but I can’t do it if you’re here. I will only unfreeze about six mercs and one goll. It’s not going to be good, but it won’t be overwhelming numbers. She has a ship, a way off this place. When you get to the ship, put this in the command console, and I’ll know you made it. There’s someone that you should meet, but I can’t dare unfreeze them until we know she’s gone. Here take it.”

In her hand was a small piece of metal. I had no idea what it was, but I snatched it up and took off. I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth, but there was no telling what we were in store for. It didn’t take me long to catch back up with the others, their speed only as fast as their tired selves would let them go. With a gentle touch on Riddick’s shoulder, I let him know I was there beside him for whatever we were facing. I didn’t have to say anything, he already seemed to know. For a moment, a part of me wondered if he could read my thoughts, and that alone seemed to draw a smirk on his face. Still, we weren’t out of the woods yet. Something was coming our way, there was no denying that.

The most natural part of our escape was getting back through the zero-g area. If you pushed off just right, you could force float wherever you wanted to go. We weren’t going to simply outrun those that were following us, but we did need to find a place to hide. In one corridor, we were waiting, Jack hiding, and Imam and Riddick waiting as if trying to find out what was coming next. Shazza was leaning against the metal, seemingly calm. I knew it was a facade. She was pretending to be strong for the girl, and it was working.

“What was that?”

“Don’t move.”

That’s when we heard it. The sound of something substantial and metal hitting the ground. This must be that goll they were talking about. I couldn’t help but whisper its name and watch as the convict threw his head towards me. He seemed to understand what I was saying. We were not going to outrun the creature, our only hope was to hide and wait for it to pass. Oh yes we could do that without a problem, we would have a plan.

I watched as Riddick climbed himself up onto a beam overhead. We were going up and over, it made sense. When he was up there, I helped him get to Jack. He was strong enough to hoist the girl up by himself, but that didn’t matter. As he was trying to haul her up, light from some flashlights startled us, and Jack started squirming and fighting. It was making it harder for her to be pulled up. Gunfire broke out, and for a moment, Riddick dropped the girl. I was momentarily frozen as I watched the scene. Of course, I knew that Riddick wouldn’t lose her. Leaning down, the convict grabbed her by her belt and hoisted her up there with him. Imam and I quickly followed as we hunkered down and knew they couldn’t actually shoot us from where we were.

I saw the blood a moment coming from Riddick’s arm, and I wanted to say something. The look in his eyes told me he was fine. It hurt, but he’d wall it away like always and move on. None of us could risk letting them know that we were injured. It wouldn’t do any good for them to worry or to hate us. We were only mostly human after all.

“Are you badly hurt?”

“Him? He almost tore me in half!”

“Just a graze this time.”

I smacked Jack against the back of her head and move on. We couldn't sit here and dwell on this. We needed to run and move now. One day she’d learn to stop smarting off, I hoped, but now we couldn’t deal with that. The more she talked, the more she leads them right in our direction. Running all out, we took off down the hallways and corridors as we headed for the aft of the ship. We needed to get off this damned thing. I knew his words were to calm me, I could feel the animal inside of me, reacting to knowing he was hurt. Anything more than a graze, and I was sure I’d lose it. I didn’t understand why, around him, I was acting this way. I’d not been in control, but around Riddick, my animal seemed to come out and play a lot more. It was harder to keep it inside and push down its antics. Like right now. It wanted me to jump Riddick to quell the fire in my veins but we couldn’t we weren’t even safe.

Suddenly Riddick stopped, and I slid to a stop beside him. Watching the others, Jack, Imam, and Shazza were all out of breath. They understood the danger, but we could not outrun whatever it was that was coming for us. We needed a place to lay a trap, and we couldn't do that if we were worried about the kid. I knew the two adults could take care of her, would take care of her if something were to happen to us.

“We cannot stop.”

“We ain’t outrunnin’ this thing. Not the five of us.”

“What? I can keep up.”

“Maybe someday Jack. Not today.”

“Get her to the flight deck.”

“It’s just aft, up a level.”

“Yeah, stow in there and let whatever’s followin’ pass. When it does, make for the flight deck and don’t look back. No matter _what_ you hear.”

“We’ll wait for you.”

“Follow Imam and Shazza.”

I turn and watch the three of them crouch into a narrow little slit off the corridor. As long as they tuck themselves in tight enough, they should be ok. Whatever is after us will be tracking us, probably by blood and smell. Riddick and I are the main threats, and we need to find ourselves in another hiding spot. I know that Shazza and Imam will get the girl to safety or die trying. I hoped they didn’t have to die to do it, but unfortunately, I couldn’t worry about that right now. My focus was on Riddick.

“What are you gonna do?”

“You don’t want to know Jack. Just do as we ask for once, please?”

My eyes were pleading with the girl to just trust us, to let us handle this. If we didn’t think she was safe with Shazza or Imam, we wouldn’t have left her there. Riddick and I needed to do something. I turn and sprint away, knowing that my mate was following. My shiv back in my hand, I slice my arm and lure them away with my blood. Riddick doing the same. Making our blood intermingle as it dotted the ground. We would lure the beast away, get to a safe point and make a stand.

Around the corner and up, we climbed up into some ventilation. Strangely enough, there was plenty of room for the two of us, and I found myself looking down at the ground we’d just fled from. My back against Riddick’s chest as he pressed kisses to my neck. His hands started a wandering trail across my body. Even here, under the threat of whatever it was that was following us, the man was insatiable. I could feel his desire for me both physically, and through this bond, we’d seemed to have formed. I had no doubt that if we were alone and had the time we needed, he would join with me, satiating both of our animals. His hands-on body was distracting, making me moan even despite my urge to stay quiet. I knew he heard them; I just hoped the creatures and the mercs didn’t. Giving away our position would not be good.

With his roaming hands, I felt them slide down into my cargo pants and ghost across my skin. A part of me froze. I’d never let anyone touch me like this before, and here I was, allowing Riddick that right. I didn’t know if he noticed my flinch or not. He wasn’t hurting me, my animal was happy to let him continue, but my brain, the part of me that was still a woman, human, was afraid. I felt two solid, stiff fingers stroke me in my most sensitive place before one of them slid right in. I could feel him probing, stroking, and I held my breath. It felt amazing, and I didn’t want him to stop, but if he continued, we’d both be caught for sure. My breath was coming out in little pants and moans, loud enough for him to hear but not enough for human ears.

The sound of feet pounding our way jerked me out of my haze as I felt Riddick shift, moving his hands away and grip my hips. He was holding me close as we waited. He had an idea what was coming for us, I sensed it in the air. I wanted to know his plan, but asking would be stupid. I trusted him with every bit of myself, and he hadn’t let me down so far. Why start doubting him now? I could still feel his lips against my neck, my flesh sensitive. He ghosted them right by my ear, close enough that he could talk to me and no one else would hear it.

“Let them fight and when they are gone, scattered we take out the goll. Between our shiv’s, we got enough power. We can take it down. It’s gonna be messy either way.”

I didn’t need to answer. He knew I was on his side, and I’d do as he asks. We waited, hoping that the creature took out the others, and we didn’t have too. I’d instead not take on five mercs and whatever the hell that creature was. This whole ship creeped me out. There were so many creatures here, things that shouldn’t exist in space like this. I still haven’t told him about the girl, about the one that let me go but told me there was someone I needed to talk to. My mind was mulling over a million ideas of what to do as we waited, the feet getting closer.

From my vantage point, I watched as the mercs hit our dead-end. They knew we were around there somewhere, but they didn’t know where. Riddick had left his shirt on the ground, a clue. He was good at going breadcrumbs to distract. Of course, anyone stupid enough to pick up Riddick’s shirt was one stupid enough to get eaten by whatever the hell that thing was that was following us. I watched, my eyes alight with glee as one of them was actually stupid enough to do so. We needed to wait, though, for the right time to attack. Timing it just right would give us the advantage.

“Don’t touch that!”

‘“Oh shit!”

I heard the first voice, and I thought it might be Toombs, the one I saw them revive, but I didn't know. I didn’t know merc voices. The other one was clearly female, and then we heard it. All of us. The pounding of the metal feet against the metal walkways. The _thing_ was coming, and they had just signed their own death warrants. At least the one that was stupid enough to grab Riddick’s shirt. A lot of creatures went off blood, smelled it, loved it. They were setting themselves up to be human bait. Better for us.

I watched as all but one of the mercs were eaten by the creature. One of them, Toombs, I would assume, was smart enough to fire his gun at one of the pipings and getaway. Running from the creature was the best option. For a moment, we were just watching, waiting for it to notice us. As it stopped, it looked up, roaring as if trying to scare us. That’s when we moved, simultaneously flinging ourselves from our hiding spot. Our shivs sliced at the creature giving it no room to move. It was quick, and it was over really before the thing had any say.

“I ain’t puttin’ that back on.”

I watched as Riddick looks at his shirt, covered in blood, much and sliced to pieces. We needed to get him a tank, or I was going to get distracted right here and now and do something foolish. My own clothes weren’t faring any better. I looked down, seeing them slashed even more than before. I’d never actually managed to change out of the things from that hell planet. Looking around, I spotted something that would work for us. The female merc seemed to be around my size, well, my size if I was actually eating healthy. Stripping off my torn garments, I pulled the shirt off the woman and slipped it on. It was a size too large. Not that I was scrawny, I had decent sized breasts and all, but I was undernourished. My ribs were visible, and I know that for the first time, Riddick got a chance to see just what sorry shape I was in.

Once we were suitably dressed again, we took off. It was time we made it back to the others. Just as we were coming up, I watched as Imam was struck on the head, and Shazza and Jack were pulled from the panel on the floor. I could see Zeke and Paris not to far away too, being held under guard. We needed to get them out of here and fast. Junner was the one that my eyes were on, holding Jack by the throat as she kicked and hit at him. I had to admire the girls' spirit. She wasn’t going to give up the fight.

“Let her go. It’s me you’re after. You wanna shot at the title?”

I watched as Junner dropped Jack and turned to face Riddick. The cocky bastard even took off his coat. As if he actually stood much of a chance. Riddick was powerful, dangerous and if anyone got a hit in it was because he let them. Allow them to think they were right, let them get cock,y, and then take them out. It’s the most natural thing in the world to do. Most people were too stupid to even know what we were doing in the first place. Their cocky and overconfident ways were going to get them killed.

Watching Riddick fight turned me on even more. I was sure that I was about to combust from all of this. I couldn’t fight back the whimper of need that escaped my lips. This was his fight, though, and I couldn’t interfere. I watched as Junner used his sword to knock Riddick's shiv out of his hand, and they went at it hand to hand. There were moments where I was sure that Junner was going to win, especially when he knocked Riddick into some metal pillar. It wasn’t over, though, not until Riddick lay dead in pieces. That much I knew, and I wouldn’t allow that to happen. Their fighting, though, turned into Riddick’s advantage, and I couldn’t help the chuckle. These people were stupid beyond all-knowing.

Watching as the convict scooped up some conduit line and wrapped it around the man's neck, I laughed. He was trying to choke the man, and I knew it wouldn’t work. The thing was... the moment that Junnar cut the line, the lights went out. Never give us that advantage. Never let us fight in the dark. It was a sure way to lose. At the moment that it took the man to realize his mistake, Riddick had scooped up his shiv and buried it Junner’s eye. Just as he had promised. See, they all thought that Riddick made idle threats. If he promised to do something, he followed through with it. The emergency power should kick on soon, I knew that and I waited for the convict to let us know it was time to get the hell out of here.

“I told you that was comin’”

“Where. Where are you going?”

“Gonna prep this ship and get off this heap.”

“So _we_ can escape?”

I watched as Jack and Imam start to stir, Shazza already awake. They stared at us as we move towards the ship. It wasn't like we could leave them, but for now, the threat was gone. I watched as Imam questioned Riddick but knew that he wasn’t going to get an answer. We weren’t going to leave them there. The question was answered with a wave of his hand, a signal to move forward. They could stay here if they wanted too, but Antonia was still alive and still a threat. For now, though, our goal was to get off this merc ship before anything else happened. I watch as Imam helps Jack to her feet, try not to listen to their words. They had no idea what was coming, but things wouldn’t be over until we were kicked out into space.

“Tis over. We have survived.”

A sound jerked my head around, my body in front of Riddick’s. I watched as Antonia stood there, looking worse for the wear and panting up a storm. She looked as if she didn't have any clue that we could take her out before she could blink. I stand there, watching as she pulls a gun on me. I’m too close, and if it goes off, it will rip into me. My only thought is to protect Riddick, and I do. For him to get in front of me, he’d have already had to be there a second before he opened the hatch on the ship. No, he was behind me, and the most he could do was shove me out of the way. He doesn't though because none of us really knew what was going to happen.

She pulled the trigger faster than any of us could see, and I felt the pain of it hit me. I watched as the shot knocked me down, and Riddick was standing there, trying to figure out what to do next. My body felt like it was on fire, but I’m alive and awake. I watched as she approached, screaming at us and holding the gun closer. If she pulled the trigger, next time, it would kill me. It was aimed right at my head, and the woman is unstable, that much was clear.

“Back to hell with you, you bloody stinking savages.”

I heard the sound of another shot, and for a moment it was as if time stood still. I couldn't think, or focus and I didn't even know if I was alive. Then things started to clear, and I could see Antonia dead at our feet. Her head was blown nearly entirely off by a shot. Riddick helped me to my feet, eyeing the bullet in my shoulder with a bit of anger. Jack was standing there, the gun in her hand, still smoking. She’d used Junner’s weapon to take out the threat.

“Yeah.. we made it.”

“Awfully uncivilized thing you just did there, Jack.”

“Nice shot though kid. Headshots are a sure way to make sure they don’t get back up and come after us. Let’s get off this crap hole.”

We climbed board and helped the others settle. The ship that we were escaping on was more significant than the skiff, and for a moment, I was stunned. Why did someone need a place with so many bedrooms? There was one master suite that I was sure someone else would claim. From where I was standing, I could see a large sitting area that seemed to be state of the art. There were a kitchen and washroom and so much more. Shuffling everyone aboard, I did a quick headcount. We were not going to leave if not everyone was on board. Thankfully the three kids were hidden behind Zeke and Paris when we had entered the flight deck.

I watched as Paris claimed the room on the furthest right, it was the smallest, and he said he didn’t need much space. Shazza and Zeke chose the place just to the left of that one, it was more significant but not by much. The room on the far left was taken by Imam and his three boys, it was the most significant outside of the master suite, and they needed the space. It also had enough beds for them. The room just to the right of that but not directly in the middle was going to be Jack’s room for now. That left Riddick and me to decide if we were sharing a place or not. For a moment I couldn’t fight the blush at the implications.

Moving towards the cockpit I watched as Riddick sat down at the controls, mapping out our plan and turning on the autopilot. We needed to drop our survivors off and hoped that they wouldn’t ask too many questions. Paris would be the first to go, then probably Zeke and Shazza. New Mecca, Imam’s destination, was the furthest out of the way. He would be the last to drop off. As it stood, it was going to take us about a week to get to the planet that Paris wanted to be let off at. A week of these people around us again. A week to figure out what we were going to do next.

Taking a seat in the co-pilot’s chair, I remembered the small disk the woman gave me. Setting it in as instructed, I watched as something flashed up on the screen. This wasn’t what I had been expecting, but then, what else could I do? I knew nothing about who I was or who my parents were, and here I was, getting a chance to learn. I could feel Riddick’s presence near me, knowing that he was offering whatever strength he could. I turned for a moment and looked at him, his eyes boring into mine with one eyebrow quirked. He was curious about where I got the gadget, but now was not the time to explain. Instead, I turned back to the woman on the screen and listened.

“Autumn, I see you put the card in as instructed. Don’t worry, it won’t interfere with the programs or navigation of the Swallow. If you are looking at this, then you’ve saved us all. Most of us on board were slaves of Antonia, forced to follow her orders and watch the ones we love suffer. I’m sure you have questions, and I can give you answers, but not all of them. My name is Lola, and by the time you see this, I will be dead. Killed by either Junner or that damned goll that she likes to have around so much.”

There was a pause in the feed, and I was nervous. I wanted to know how she knew my name for one and how she’d had time to record this. What answers could she give me? Biting my lip, I gripped the edge of my seat to try to prevent myself from getting up and pacing. I wanted to walk to rage at what information I was being given. None of it made any sense.

“We know your name because we knew your mother before she was taken. Don’t worry, she wasn’t a merc. Your mother was an ambassador to the planet Furya and your father, well he was one of the Furyan primearchs. One of the leaders. He came from a long line of alpha males, much like the man sitting beside you. He was second in command to the king, and he fell for your mother. If you remember, I told you that there was someone that you should meet. As you are watching this, my orders are being carried out. This person is being unfrozen, removed from his cryo state, and getting prepared to be sent to find you. He has the answers that you both seek. I suggest you heed them. I cannot tell you anymore.”

With that, the transmission ended. I didn’t understand what telling me I was Furyan meant. Did that mean I was some crazy person that wasn’t even human? She kept mentioning Riddick with it, that Riddick’s family also came from a long line of alphas. Well, that much I could see. I had no doubt that he had an inkling as to who he really was. Why did it matter that my parents were like this? Hell, my question is, how did I even get born. I’d never heard of Furya until I saw the statue, but I couldn’t deal with this right now.

I turned a moment, looking at Riddick before I got up and left the cockpit. Heading into the room that I would be sharing with him, I tried to fight back the tears. There was still so much about this world that I didn’t know, didn’t understand. I spent my life in a slam, questions always in the back of my mind on who my mother and father were. I’d finally accepted that they were both dead, and I would probably never know. Slamming the door shut behind me, I stripped out of my clothes and headed to the en-suite bathroom. Turning the taps on the water as hot as they would go, I tried to shower, but it didn't work. I felt myself falling to my knees, letting the hot water run over me as I cried. I was trying to deal with everything I’d been through, but it was too much. I don’t know how long I was in the water, but I felt a naked chest and muscular arms pull me out of the water. They dried me as much as they could, dressed me in a shirt, and tucked me into the covers. I was trapped in the darkness for a while, letting it lull me to sleep. Tomorrow I would try to understand.

****\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------** **

I don’t remember when but I had somehow managed to drift off to sleep with my girl in my arms. I knew she was safe, wrapped up like that. I liked the feelin’ of it, my arms around hers, her body pressed to mine. It had been a long while since my inner animal was content, and for the first time, it felt like it was. I was purrin’ I knew, I could hear it, but it was so soft that it didn’t disturb her sleep. The last thing I wanted to do was disturb my mate’s sleep. Everyone on the skiff needed rest, but this place was tiny and cramped, and it wasn’t easy to do.

I was jolted awake by the sirens on the damned ship goin’ off. Somethin’ had skewered us, and there was no way to fight it. We were gonna get reeled in. I was tryin’ to shut off the noise before everyone woke up, but it didn’t quite work. A loud, obnoxious voice started driftin’ over the speaker system, and I was hittin’ buttons and flippin’ switches as much as I could to stop it.

“Hull breach contained. Engines running at one hundred and seventy percent capacity. Engine and hull failure imminent under current parameters.”

“Critical systems failure in five seconds. Four seconds. Three seconds. Two seconds. One second.”

I kept movin’ things around, trying to shut the damn system off. It was so annoyin’ that I thought about just stabbin’ it with my shiv, but I didn’t feel like bending the metal. Finally, the thing shut itself off, and all I could do was glare at Jack. She’d jinxed us whether she knew it or not. You gotta be careful what you say in a world like this. Bad thin’s tended to happen when people weren’t careful.

“First you’re a boy, then you’re a girl, and now you’re a psychic. Careful what you wish for Jack.”

I watched the girl gulp and fear to fill her eyes. I would be damned if I let mercs get ahold of either of them. Both the females, Autumn and Jack, were mine. Jack, like a sister to me, a pup in the grand scheme of things. Autumn, my mate, well, she’d be a challenge for them for sure. There wasn’t anythin’ that said I didn’t have to let her fight. I just didn’t want to deal with the aftermath of it all. We’d already been through so much to get to this point.

“Unidentified craft. State your purpose and contents.”

That got my attention. That voice. It wasn’t one I’d heard before, but I filed it away for future use. These merc ships had voice recognition, I knew that much. I was tryin’ to see if there was a way for us to get out of this mess without me havin’ to speak. The moment I opened my mouth, the game would be over. They would know who I was and would take a stand.

“Unidentified craft. State your purpose and contents.”

“Unidentified craft. State your purpose and contents.”

I was watchin’ the others. I could see that somethin’ was sparkin’ in the mind of Autumn. She motioned for me to turn on the coms, and I did. I still had my arms around her, holdin’ her close as I waited to see what she was gonna do. Givin’ them too much information was a bad thing, but we needed to be off this skiff if we were right to assess our situation. It sounded like the mercs were going to take us in regardless of what we told them.

“Names Autumn Fallon. A survivor from the crash of the cargo ship Hunter-Gratzner on the plant Hades in the Tangiers System. The only other survivors from that mess are with me. Outside of that, we have nothing.”

“Tell me, Ms. Fallon. What brings you to the lovely corner of space?”

“Just someone trying to get somewhere else when our ship crashed.”

“I see.”

This guy didn’t believe our story. He seemed much too willin’ to accept her answer. I knew we were in trouble, but I wasn’t ready to give up yet. I moved Autumn from my lap and stood. The others seemed to be starin’ out the window into space, and none of them paid me much mind. Not like it would do any good. By the time they formed a thought, I’d have already enacted my plan.

Picking up the lighter that was on the ground, along with the cuttin’ torch, I got an idea. I had no idea why the hell that thin’ was on the skiff, but I could think about it later. It was a godsend right now for my plan. Settin’ the flame of the torch up next to the fire suppression system, I waited. I was gonna fill the cabin with foam and when they popped the cork use the foam as cover. I could see the same idea pop in Autumn’s head a split second after I lit the torch. Oh yes. My mate havin’ the same idea’s as I was such a turn on.

“Everyone take a deep breath, hold it for as long as you can. Most importantly, do not under any circumstances draw their attention too you.”

Soon enough, the foam burst forth and filled the cabin. I could hold my breath for quite a while. I just hoped it would be long enough to keep Jack and the others safe. That girl, she was honestly more trouble than she should be. I could hear the voices outside of the cabin and knew they were gettin’ ready to breach. These idiots had no idea how to really deal with someone like us. For a moment, though, I wondered if they had any information on Autumn. Even I knew that it was rare for someone to be born in a slam. She thought no one knew anythin’ about her, but so far, people did.

“Anything?”

“No sir. No one’s been in or out of this bay since I locked it down myself. Zero atmosphere.”

“Pressurize.”

“We’ve got O2 sir. It’s thin but breathable. Green for breach.”

“Earn your keep.”

The moment the door opened, I was out. I sliced through three throats before I felt Autumn movin’ near me. Bloodstained areas of the foam as the others tried to find me. I was light lightnin’ I knew, slippin’ in and around them. These mercs were low class, quality stupid, and didn’t even stand a chance. Smart mercs would have waited to see what happened. Instead of just chargin’ right in on the foam. Now they were dead, and I could hear their ‘leader’ orderin’ the retreat. Smirkin’ to myself, I launched out of the foam and into the gunmen. Takin’ them out was easy. All three of the men with machine guns were down and out before anythin’ really could be focused on. ** **  
****

“You certainly know how to make an entrance.”

“That’s nothing scarecrow. They’re going to kick your ass so..”

 _Jack._ I was goin’ to have a talk with that girl. I watched as she was pulled back in the foam but by who I don’t know. Blood spots still filled the area, so I knew that Autumn was still killin’ the ones she could find. The girl was goin’ to get us killed or at least herself injured. That much was quite clear. Yet me callin’ out to her would draw the wrong conclusions. I had a plan, and the others didn’t need to know what it was. Nope. I wasn’t gonna share. They would either figure it out or die.

As I was goin’ after another merc I heard the sound of a struggle, a body hit the floor and the voice that had been over the com. I turned, my hand squeezin’ the neck of the merc as I watched. Oh, what a lovely sight I saw. The scrawny man in the white coat had a sword/gun pointed at Jack’s head, but my mate, she was standin’ there with a shiv to his throat. She had no qualms about takin’ the man out. I was too far away to save Jack, at the moment but she would do her damnedest that much I did know.

“I think not.”

I growled myself before turnin’ my attention to the person that was really in charge. The woman standing up on the balcony needed to be addressed. I knew that Autumn hadn’t seen her, yet but that didn’t bother me. I figured they had some sort of visible recognition aboard the ship if the voice one failed. They probably already knew who I was and I waited to see if she’d actually go through with tryin’ to kill me.

“Call off your lap dog before his tryin’ to impress you gets him killed.”

“Am I so obvious?”

“Call it what you want but tell him to stand down. Now.”

“You’ll have to excuse Junner’s excitement. It sometimes makes him a touch _quick._ Though I can’t say, I blame him. You see, he’s just heard so much about you, _Riddick._ Yes, I know your name. Quite a bit more about you, I think.”

“Careful. You may find what you’re diggin’ for..”

“I’m willing to share, of course, but I must ask that you surrender your weapons. Before any more of my _apparently_ overpaid associates come to an untimely end.”

“mmm. Not gonna happen.”

“No?”

I hummed a moment as I contemplated the situation. She knew who I was, provided me with the name of the man who had Jack at the other end of the gun. She knew just how dangerous I was, and yet she was willin’ to play a game. I’d bite, if only for a little while. I see a flash of recognition fly across Autumn’s face as if she’s seen the woman before. It’s not apparent to anyone else around, but I knew the woman better than that. I’d only known her for a few hours, at least, but my animal could smell the subtle shift in the air. She knew this woman, but she was confused and dealin’ with conflictin’ thoughts and emotions. Jack was our number one priority right now. She needed to be safe. So I tried a bluff, just to see how far this merc would take it.

“The girl is nothin’ to me.”

“Then enlighten me. Why would a stone-cold killer such as yourself go through all the trouble of keeping the likes of her alive. Unless, of course, you’ve grown attached.”

“She’s a cover story. Nothin’ more. You shoot her now, you’d be savin’ me the trouble.”

“Then I have your blessing?”

It was true that if they did kill Jack, they’d be savin’ me a lot of trouble. The girl was trouble, but I wasn’t gonna let her die. It was a bluff nothin’ more. I could tell the woman didn’t buy it as she turned around and motioned for Junner. I watched as the man squeezed the trigger just a small fraction before I launched my shiv at the gun. I knocked it out of the way, a sign that I’d not actually let them kill her, yet. I watched as the woman turned to look at me, a small smile decoratin’ her face.

“Maybe I know more about you than you do yourself.”

“Now just ain’t the time.”

Havin’ had enough I snap the neck of the merc I’d been chokin’ this whole time and stand up. We, Autumn and I, needed to try to figure out what our next moves were. It was clear that gettin’ off this ship wasn’t gonna be easy. Noddin’ slightly to autumn, I knew that she’d follow whatever lead I gave her. That was good. The less we actually had to talk, the better we could plan. The others they didn’t need to overhear what we were workin’ out.

“Lock them down. We’re done here.”

“My apologizes.”

“You know how worthless those are to me. You did well. People die in this line of work, Junner. A handful of men, a small price to pay.”

“What will you do with them?”

“Slowly Junner. Have Riddick, and the girl brought to my conservatory. I’ve something _beautiful_ in mind. And Junner? Unfreeze some more mercs.”

At the mention of the word beautiful, I gag a little. I had a small idea of what the crazy bitch had in mind, and none of it was good. For now, I was playin’ nice. Lettin’ them chain me up and shit. This is what the mercs don’t understand. If they catch me, it’s because I let them. I could easily keep killin’ my way through the ship and get to a boat that would get me out of here. I don’t, though, not without Autumn and at least Jack. I watch as the woman in charge, and the man named Junner start to walk away. They have somethin’ up their sleeves, and it makes me nervous. Still, I’m chained to some sort of dolly like thing, with just my hands tied. Oh how stupid can they be?

I’m studyin’ the ship as they drag us around and realize that Autumn’s been quiet this whole time. I’m slightly worried about her. She’d already been through so much, but she’d be tough enough to get us out of here. Any conversations that we had, anythin’ that I say is for her benefit. I know she can understand the way I phrase certain things. The woman is smarter than any other I’d ever met. Lookin’ around, I see mercs hangin’ out in pods on all sides. The sheer number of them boggles my mind.

“Have you _ever_ seen anything like this before?”  


“Merc ships? Plenty. Just tryin’ to figure out how it all goes together”

“It is a plantation operation. A boat like this loads up at the port, signs up as many men as it can hold, then goes out for months, sometimes years at a time. However long it takes to fill their stores”

“‘Cept a merchant rig’s usually harvesting ore. Maybe crops. Not people.”

“Captured bounties on one side, contracted manpower on the other.”

“Just add heat.”

“You know a lot about this shit, for a holy man.”

“I hear things.”

I do wonder how Imam hears what he has. Talk about thin's like this aren’t exactly normal. He knew far too much about merc ships for my likin’, but what was I gonna say exactly. He’d already answered my question sayin’ it was nothin’ more than rumor he’d heard. I’d need to watch him, though. I didn’t completely trust him, and maybe that was the point. He was someone to watch out for later. My thoughts are interrupted a moment when I feel Autumn shift. She hasn’t said anythin’, but she buries her neck in my throat. I don’t mind. I like that my animal soothes her. I want to pull her into my arms, but we are tied. My animal is both upset and calmed by this. It wants to let her calm down, to allow her a chance to rest but it is angered that we cannot hold her in our arms and let her know she’s safe.

The fat guard that seemed to like rough handlin’ Jack stares at us. I can see in his eyes that he’s got ideas about my mate. He’d be dead before he even managed to lay a hand on her. That I can guarantee. Still, I needed to distract him, so I couldn’t help but taunt him and the others. Mercs were so damned sensitive anyway. Tauntin’ them was only thin’ I really could do.

“Must be a special kind of desperate _dick_ that signs on to this.”

I knew my words would rile him up. Fatso punches me, but it’s not even painful. I let my head move with it, deflectin’ the blow. If he thought that was goin’ to hurt me, he had another thin’ to learn. It was gonna take much more than that to get me in any sort of pain. I catch Autumn’s eyes from my angle and smirk at her. It was nice to watch her smile for a moment before I’m back to tauntin’ the merc again.

“You’re the exception, of course. For you, it’s a life experience.”

We’d reached our destination, and I watch as they take Shazza, Jack, and Imam elsewhere. I don’t see the boys or Zeke, or Paris and I wonder if they are still on the ship. Can’t worry about them right now. Nope, gotta focus on the bastards in front of me and makin’ sure that my girl is alright. She’s awfully quiet, and that worries me more than I will openly admit.

“I will pray.”

“Not for me.”

“Set them down and leave.”

I can’t help but glare at Imam. He always uses that damned prayer routine. Granted, I get it’s a code. It’s his way of saying that he has faith we’ll see each other again, but I don’t need to hear it out loud. He knows I don’t want him prayin’ for me and shit. Still, it’s a distraction, and the voice of that Junner asshole tells the others what to do. I know that this Junner guy is the problem and he’s goin’ to be someone I enjoy killin’ in the end.

We are released from the dollys and left with our hands tied in a room. I don’t really like what I’m seein’. These statues she has everywhere look like people. They smell like ‘em too. Like someone stuck in a state that is frozen but didn’t hide that they were alive. I don’t like it. I can see Autumn looking around, Knowin’ that she’s probably just as tweaked about the whole thing as I am. I’m trying to juggle keepin’ my eyes on my woman and on the guy in front of us. I give nothin’ away, but Autumn, she’s more expressive than I am. I like it though, but it can be dangerous., for us both.

We walk and follow the man as we move through the statues. One of ‘em catches my eye. I stare at it as if I recognize it. He looks vaguely familiar to me as if we’ve met before somewhere. For a moment, I’m reminded of my dreams of a planet with two suns and the red dirt of home. A dead planet that has seen better days. My eyes drift to the nameplate. _Killer of men. Furya._ It clicks for me then. At least, from the dream’s I’d been havin’. This statue, he’s from home. I can see it, the resemblances but there’s somethin’ more. A pull to him that I can’t fight that makes me reach out and touch him. He feels real enough that it shocks me for a while. What the hell is goin’ on?

I’m distracted for a moment before I hear Autumn scuffle with the man. I turn in time to watch whatever it was that Junner was tryin’ to fail. I turn my back to them again, studyin’ the statute. He’s got answers, and yet I can’t seem to get through. It’s as if the person is just stuck there, unable to relay to me what it really needs for help. I’m distracted again by the feelin’ of somethin’ pressin’ into my neck. Whatever the hell they just stuck me with gets my attention, but not the kind they want. Nope I’m pretty sure that they won’t like the tone of voice I take.

“Alright. Now you have my attention.”

“A necessary precaution. You attempt anything uncivilized, killing me; for instance, I detonate the explosive charge Junner’s just implanted and sleep very well tonight.”

Autumn growls at the woman, and I can see her animal snap. She’s borderin’ on losin’ it entirely, and right now, we can’t afford that. There is a part of me want to watch her rip the woman to shreds, but we can’t show our hand just yet. We need to learn more. I know that my woman’s about to bolt to the woman, so I just put my hands on her shoulders. We are chained, but that doesn’t really stop us now, does it? My fingers are strong but gentle as I start to massage at her muscles. The aim is to soothe not provoke, and it works. I know her better than she realizes. My animal is her alpha, it will calm her at any cost. I know she’s battlin’ with who she is, wantin’ to know why I have so much control but that’s a conversation for later.

I caress the bite mark I left on her neck, knowin’ the reaction she had. Her moan is music to my ears, and it pleases the animal inside of me immensely. I can’t help it, I feel my ego swell some at this moment. It’s reaffirmed my hold on her and calmed her down so that we can carry on a conversation with the head bitch in charge. My eyes don’t leave the others in the room, and they can see my actions. I don’t care. Let them wonder at what kind of hold the two of us have on each other. I can see the woman flash with a sense of longin’ and understandin’ as if she knows we are a matched set.

“Walk with me.”

We didn’t really have much choice, but Autumn and I followed her anyway. I’m watchin’ both of them and tryin’ to understand what’s going on. This woman had some sort of ulterior motive, and I was figurin’ it out. Each of these people looked like statues, people that I’d seen at one time or another as being alive. She was not goin’ to put my mate or me on a pedestal regardless of what she thought. Nope, wasn’t happenin’.”

“You’re not putting me on a pedestal.”

“No, of course not. You both are strictly for my private collection.”

 _Private Collection?_ The very thought made me growl. This woman was beyond fucked up in the head. She had no idea who she really was messin’ with. Oh, I had no doubt she thought she knew, but the truth was, she didn’t. Somethin’s about me was obvious to anyone with half a brain. The other thin’s well she’d just have to learn the hard way. I saw my mate get distracted for a moment, but I couldn’t call her out on it. I knew that she needed answers and the woman seemed to have them.

“Who the hell are you, woman? Where are we?”

“Why I thought you would have heard of me, dear Autumn. My name does tend to get around in the Slams. Antonia Chillingsworth and this is my ship, the Dark Fury. Don’t worry, dear. When I put you on display in my collection, I’ll make sure you’re right alongside your Riddick.”

I put my hands on Autumn again. It seemed to be the only thing that calmed her. At least now, we had the name of the crazy bitch. I still understood that the woman standin’ beside me was someone that knew this woman. I wondered if maybe Antonia was the woman that had brought her mother into the slam. If so, I would take pleasure in killin’ her for my girl. No one should taunt any of us like this. The moment though, that she said she was goin’ to put us on display, I knew my assumptions were correct. These weren’t just statues. They were people. Livin’, breathin’ people who she had somehow managed to freeze.

“Okay. You go through all the trouble to catch these guys, and this is what you do with them?”

“You’re missing the point.”

“What point? You got a million UD’s standin’ around collectin’ dust.”

“You underestimate their value, Riddick. They are priceless. Each at one time, the most wanted man or woman in the known universe. The number of lives ended at the hand of those living and breathing in this room is incalculable.”

“Ain’t what I’d call livin’.”

“Me either. This isn’t living, it’s sick and twisted.”

“Just the same. I assure you they are all very much alive. Each one sustained in the form of cryo so profound that seconds seem weeks, and to blink an eye is daily work. The brain, however, continues to function unimpeded. The mind continues to think and feel, swarming with whatever dark thoughts it trapped with. As it will be for hundreds of years. So much more fitting a fate than dropping them off at the nearest slam. Here they are appreciated for what they truly are. Transformed into objects on par their lives work. And why? Because I gave them the audience, they so desperately desired. The recognition they bought with the blood of others. I understood their actions, stripped free of moral convention. Don’t you see it? They’re something greater now, Riddick. Something more than they ever were before. Art.”

As she was blatherin’ on, I took a moment to look around. She called herself an artist, but really she was worse than a convict. At least we didn’t stop to make statues out of our kills. We killed and moved on, seekin’ freedom. This woman was somethin’ else. Some kind of sick and twisted freak, and I would be damned if she thought I was goin’ to become some art piece. If she so much as tried to lay one hand on Autumn, I would kill everyone in the room and not bother to blink an eye. She had no idea who she was fuckin’ with.

“Lady. Your taste sucks.”

“I.. expected as much. Junner.”

I watch a moment as the Junner fellow presses a few buttons on a control panel. The red curtains that had been hangin’ not far from us start to move. The room begins to get bathed in red, and I understand. It is easy to see the pit from here, but I’m not yet ready to move to the side. I don’t want the others to know just yet that I’m plannin’ to get down there. I have a feelin’ thought that it might just be Antonia’s idea. She probably wants to see us try to kill somethin’ to show off how truly ‘artistic’ we are. The very thought makes me grind my teeth.

“You see Riddick. There’s a fundamental difference between you and I.”

“Yeah, you’re a psychopath.”

“Ain’t that the truth. A really fucked up psychopath that needs a few lessons in art.”

“You don’t appreciate art, but I believe the reason for this is something very different from what you or anyone else might think. You’re both artists.”

“I been called a lot of things in my day..that ain’t one of ‘em.”

“Nor mine.”

“You make art Riddick. You as well, Autumn. Not analyze it. You shape it with your own hands, carve it from flesh and bone, but a person like you doesn’t understand such a thing by being lectured. You must experience it.”

She was seriously callin’ us, artists? We killed people because it was the fundamental need to survive that drove us to do so. We didn’t just kill innocent people for the hell of it. Yet she was sayin’ that all the blood that covered our hands was art? Really this woman was crazy in the fuckin’ head. Now I understood her game. She was goin’ to try to get us to do somethin’, kill someone or somethin’ so she could watch. I wasn’t anyone’s entertainment. Well, alright, that wasn’t entirely true. I was Autumn’s entertainment, but that’s cause the woman made such interestin’ sounds when I was fightin’. I knew my physical prowess turned her on like nothin’ else.

“Oh shit.”

The words escape my mouth before I can stop them. I see what’s waitin’ on us. Jack, Imam, and Shazza are hanging from the ceilin’ by a rope around their necks. Their feet are balanced on some ball that if you move it just right would actually hang them to death. I don’t like it, but I can’t do anythin’ yet. I’m weaponless, and however, I know that Autumn has the same thoughts I do. She moves beside me, stares down into the pit below, and we both start to form plans in our minds. We need a strategy, but I can’t just pull her aside and talk about it.

“I said I’d find you didn’t I?”

“What do you want?”

“To watch you work. Both of you. I’ve spent the latter half of my life observing fantastical things. The work of terrible men, men such as yourself, but it’s always after the fact when the moment of bloody creation is cold and past. _That_ changes now.”

I turn to stare at the woman. Did she honestly think I would take this lightly? She’s crawled up and spread herself out some sort of table, and I try to resist as a shudder. She probably thinks she’s being seductive or somethin’, but it really just makes me wanna vomit. Ain’t nothing sexy or erotic about this woman, just crazy. Now, if Autumn had done that… mmm. I quickly change my thoughts before I get lost in them and miss out on an opportunity to see somethin’ to use as an advantage. As the woman is talkin’, though, I move closer. Gettin’ right in her face, I try to scare her.

“I need to see it Riddick, Autumn. I need to see it with my own eyes, as it happens.”

“We get out of there alive, and you’ll see it again, this close.”

She puts a blade to my chin, my knife and it takes everythin’ I have not to break her neck. No one touches my blades without my permission and lives. At least not when I have a choice. If she draws blood, she’s toast, but she doesn’t. Instead, I watch her throw my knife into the ground, and the tip sticks. I had just sharpened that before we left the planet with the eclipse. I hope she didn’t bend the end or damage it in any way. I wouldn’t be a happy camper if she did.

“No Riddick, I want your masterpiece. An artist is nothing without their instruments.”

I pull my shiv from the ground and hold it. It feels good to have a blade in my hand, chained or not. They honestly didn’t think that keepin’ me chained would prevent me from hurtin’ anyone, did they? Junner moved closer to me as if he was afraid I was goin’ to turn on Antonia then and there. I don’t. I have more important things to do right now, but it doesn’t stop me from gettin’ a dig in. I make a promise to the man, one I plan on keepin’ later. They probably think I’m jokin’, but by the smirk on Autumn’s face they should know better.

“When we meet again, I’m gonna bury this.. in your eye.”

I pull my goggles up so that my eyes can see unhindered. It’s dark enough for that, and I wait. I move closer to the edge of the platform, willin’ to take one of the guards out with me. Over and landin’ on them, that’s my plan. Of course, I know Autumn will have a similar idea, and I have to be faster than her. It’s a long drop, and she’s already past the point of droppin’. I know that she’s runnin’ on adrenaline, but when it falters, she’s goin’ to be out for the count. Can’t let that happen yet.

“Let them in.”

I grab at one of the mercs and kick him in the head. The other one gets a punch before I grab a third. I don’t even care who I’m grabbin’, I just haul the man over the balcony with me. Usin’ him as a shield and a pillow for my landin’. We land hard enough on the ground that his breath is knocked out of him. I like that feelin’, knowin’ he ain’t gonna get up for a little while. I watch as Autumn comes flyin’ over with the big merc. Lettin’ the merc hit the ground, I snag my woman out of the air. She lands in my arms, a softer fall than if she had landed on the ground. I smirk down at her, before kissin’ her hard and fast and standin’ her on her feet.

“Go Ultraviolet.”

The room color shifts and it’s like seein’ in the dark. The entire room is bathed in purple light, makin’ my shine even more effective. I don’t like what I see though. Two creatures, swirlin’ with lights and tentacles, ready to devour us. I haven’t seen them before, but it doesn’t matter. The enemy is enemy, and I will kill them just the same.

“I was on a pilgrimage.”

“It’s bad huh.”

“Jack. Who got you guys off that planet?”

“You and Riddick?”

“Alright, so who’s going to get you out of this?”

I don’t take the time to comfort them, they can’t be. Autumn, though, she can’t seem to get over them being upset. I know it bothers her, but it’s somethin’ she’s goin’ to have to shut out right now. We cannot worry about their feelin’s while we’ve got to take on such creatures. I won’t begrudge her, though. She’s grown up differently than most people have. Her world shaped by the way she was raised in the slam. She’s not hard enough to not care.

I watch the stupid mercs try to shoot the creatures hopin’ they’d be strong enough to take me out. Nope. Instead, they both get skewered and melted. Yeah, that gives me some indication of what we are facin’. Not bad odds, but I’ll still come out on top, Autumn too. The fight’s on, though. Tentacles reach out to try to capture us, and I dodge and jump. I tumble around with my hands still tied and try my best to get in as many good swings as I can.

I watch one of the balls get thrown out from under Imam and Jack. I missed the first one bein’ moved, too busy tryin’ to get a slice in. Jumpin’ I cut the ropes that held the three of them and knew they’d hit the ground hard. As long as they could get the others up and out of the way we could finish this. One of these creatures was down, and the last one was my kill. My hands, at this point, are still tied, and I’m getting tired of it.

“Get her on her feet.” ** **  
****

“I cannot see!”

“You don’t want too”

I moved just right, so it grabbed the chain between my hands and attacked it. As it melted away, I was free. Now the fight was indeed on. Autumn was watchin’ me. The show I was puttin’ on was for her. I could scent her arousal in the air, and it was drivin’ me batshit with want. We couldn’t act on it here, that wasn’t the kinda show that this Antonia lady wanted to see. No, I was going to kill the creature and get us out of here. Turning to face the remain’ monster, I paused a moment, tauntin’ it.

“You wanna go? Let’s go.”

“Beautiful, beautiful creature.”

“Shrill is quite an exquisite species.”

“I’m talking about the man.”

So they were called shrill. Well, they’d both be dead in a moment, and there’s nothin’ to stop that. I got distracted a moment, and the creature managed to snag both my arms. I saw the look that crossed Autumn’s face as she sliced one of my hands-frees before tossin’ me her shiv. I heard the whistle in the air of the blade. Catchin’ it, I jabbed it hard and fast into the brain of the creature. Hearin’, it squeals a moment before it died. That fight wasn’t even much of a fight. I hadn’t also been injured yet. It was pathetic, really. When the shrill died, I saw the lights click back on, and I quickly threw my goggles in place.

“Bravo! The grace, the expression, the sheer violence of it. Exquisite.”

I was standin’ there waitin’ for the crazy woman to speak. She had no idea that I didn’t plan on bein’ one of her statues. I could feel the nervous tension in the air as we tried to figure out what we were goin’ to do to get out here. I mumbled to the others, askin’ someone to give me a knife. The only one that heard me was Autumn, and she pressed her other shiv into my hand. The one I had made for her. Takin’ it, I dug the blade into my neck as I worked on gettin’ out the explosive. There was no way I was leavin’ that in, not when the woman still had the controls in her hand.

“Such complete and thorough performance. It leaves only one question...How will I ever have you both mounted, to do it justice?”

I smirk up at the woman as I dig with my fingers and remove the explosive. Oh, the look of sheer anger that graces her features makes me smile. I loved watchin’ it when people flipped out ‘cause their plans didn’t go they way they should. Didn’t make it any less fun, though. I knew she’d try to get us somehow and I threw the thing as far away as possible.

“Looks like you’ll both have to be an abstract piece.”

“Down Now!”

I throw myself down and move to get out of the blast, but Autumn isn’t so lucky. I watch a piece of shrapnel tear through her shoulder, but I can't’ do anythin’ yet. As the smoke and dust start to settle, we take off runnin’. We needed to put as much distance between them and us as possible. I can hear the woman as she’s gettin’ ready to go after us. She sounds pissed, and it makes me smile. I like pissin’ ‘em off. Especially the cocky ones that think they can take me on.

“We’ll need to rouse a substantial pursuit force.”

“Who?”  
“All of them, even the golls. Any man or thing that can hold a weapon. Every last one! Now!”

I lead the others down the corridor after corridor but somewhere along the way, Autumn vanished. I didn’t want to worry, but goin’ back for her would be dangerous. I would if she didn’t turn up soon enough. I wasn’t goin’ to leave her here, not after I’d worked so hard to get her off that damned planet. She was mine, and I wouldn’t let go of her. Her hand placed a gentle touch on my shoulder, and I knew she was back with us as we ran. There was a subtle scent that ghosted over Autumn’s. The smell of one of the mechanics on the ship. I had a feelin’ that there were more goin’ on here, but I wouldn’t push her.

We stop for a moment, so the other’s can catch their breath as we listen to the sounds behind us. I don’t like the way it sounds, the sheer panic that seems to fill the air. Somethin’ was comin’, and by the sounds of it all, it wasn’t goin’ to be good. If the goll was what I thought it was, then we were all fucked if we stayed here. I turn, and the others follow me as we head towards the upper levels. Climbin’ up, I go to grab Jack and haul her up, but at the same time, I see the gunfire. I almost drop her but snag her again around the middle and hoist her up. The bullet grazed my arm. It hurts but it ain’t anythin’ I hadn't felt before.

“Are you badly hurt?”

“Him? He almost tore me in half!”

“Just a graze this time.”

We are runnin’ again, I’m tryin’ to lead them to the flight deck. There’s gotta be another ship off of this place, and if we can get to it, we can get the hell out of here. I stop, though, and wait. I know that the adults they could keep up, but Jack, there was no way she was gonna outrun them. I notice a crevice not too far from where we are. It’s dark enough that they could hide and not be seen. It’s the only plan I’ve got for them, at the moment.

“We cannot stop.”

“We ain’t outrunnin’ this thing. Not the five of us.”

“What? I can keep up.”

“Maybe someday Jack. Not today.”

“Get her to the flight deck.”

“It’s just aft, up a level.”

“Yeah, stow in there and let whatever’s followin’ pass. When it does, make for the flight deck and don’t look back. No matter _what_ you hear.”

“We’ll wait for you.”

“Follow Imam and Shazza.”

“What are you gonna do?”

“You don’t want to know Jack. Just do as we ask for once, please?”

We don’t answer her question, but we move anyway. I slice my arm as I take off runnin’. I want the blood to draw the mercs and that creature out. They will follow it, and we can find a plan. The area that we run too really is dead in. I climb up into the rafters, into an airshaft. It’s strangely large enough for both Autumn and myself. Before I rose, though, I stripped myself of my shirt and let it fall down, bait for the stupid fuck’s followin’ us. Up here, we were safe. They couldn’t hear us, not unless they had some sort of super-human hearin’ and the mercs didn’t.

This is the first time in several hours that I’ve had alone with Autumn, and I can't’ help myself. My hands start to roam her body. I could feel the restlessness in her own animal, it was matched in mine. We would be bonded in body soon enough, the only thing that would calm both our animals. Here, though, we weren’t goin’ to get that far. Not up in the airshaft, and not for her first time. Inhalin’ her scent, I could smell it. Her innocence and her determination. I was tauntin’ her; I knew that as I ghosted my hands across her skin. I felt her tense for a moment, confirmin’ my thoughts about her bein’ a virgin.

I wasn’t goin’ to hurt her, pleasure her until she screamed my name, yes, but cut her, no. I moved one of my hands down inside her cargo pants, ghostin’ over her thighs and swirlin’ two of my fingers around her womanly juncture. She was hot as a fuckin’ torch, givin’ off the heat, and her smell was drivin’ me crazy. Her arousal filled the air, and I was more than sure, the creature would smell that just as much as it could our blood. I slid my fingers in carefully and gently as I played with the woman in my arms. I was teasin’ her, tauntin’ her with what would come later. It was a distraction, somethin’ to pass the time.

The moment I hear the metal feet of the boots and the creature, I stop. I grip her hips and pull her close to me. I wasn’t ready to let go, but we couldn’t be as amorous as we were at the moment. Nope, not right now. Later. Ghostin’ my lips across her neck, I whisper my plan in her ear. Takin’ a moment, I bit her ear and kiss the sensitive spot right behind it.

“Let them fight and when they are gone, scattered we take out the goll. Between our shiv’s, we got enough power. We can take it down. It’s gonna be messy either way.”

We watch as the mercs are stupid enough to take the bait. One of ‘em picks up my shirt before the others manage to stop him. It just made them targets. The goll would be after them because they smelled like me now. I couldn’t fight the smirk at the fact that the woman had stupid amateurs after us. There was no way these idiots would ever bag us. When the creature dispatched all but one in the group, we knew it was our move. Flyin’ out from the air shaft we were in, we sliced and diced the creature to hell. I frown as I looked down at my now damaged beyond repair shirt. I was so not puttin’ that back on.

“I ain’t puttin’ that back on.”

I steal one of the shirts of the larger of the mercs. It fits, barely, but I don’t question it. I’m drawn to looking at Autumn. I’d seen her naked back before when I was treatin’ it for the scratches. This is the first time I really get to study her. She’s malnourished. She’s got muscle, but what should be healthy muscle looks like she needs more to eat. The slams don’t really feed their inmates well, most come out sticks and bones when they die. I made a mental note to remedy that situation as soon as possible. My woman would be fed, and she’d look healthy. No more rib bones stickin’ out.

When we are suitably dressed, we take off back to the flight deck. It’s a good thing too ‘cause we get there just in time to watch Junner chokin’ Jack. He was goin’ to get that shiv in the eye that I promised him. I just knew it. He probably thought he could take me out, but he’d be wrong, again.

“Let her go. It’s me you’re after. You wanna shot at the title?”

, Strangely enough, the fight is evenly matched. He’s not bad, but he’s got a few telegraphed moves. I let him get in a couple of punches, but then a few more come in that I wasn’t prepared for. One of his blow sends me flyin’, and I crash land into a metal pillar. The wild side is he exposed some of the cablin’ that controls the lights. It didn’t take long for an idea to flash in my head. Grabbin’ up the cable, I wrap it around his neck and squeeze a bit. Of course, he cuts it, dimmin’ the lights. This is my battlefield, my playground, and he was goin’ to regret it. Movin’ through the darkness with ease, I bury my shiv into his eye and watch as his body falls. Soon enough the backup generators snap on, and the room is once again bathed in light.

“I told you that was comin’”

“Where. Where are you going?”

“Gonna prep this ship and get off this heap.”

“So _we_ can escape?”

I don’t even comment. I just wave them through and know that they will follow. We gotta get off this damn ship if we want to say we are free. I slowly move and start to turn the handle on the hatch. Autumn moves in front of me, and I don’t know why, but I don’t want to question it right now. I don’t mind her bein’ there, and we are safe. At least that was the thought until the hatch opened and I saw the Antonia woman standin’ there. Gun out and pointed. There was no way I was goin’ to get Autumn out of the way if she shot. She did, of course, and both of us go down. I see the blood from the graze on the arm and want to snap. The gun is pointed at Autumn's head as Antonia screams, and I freeze. I won’t be able to stop her from killing my woman, and that thought fills me with dread.

“Back to hell with you, you bloody stinking savages.”

When the sound of another shot fires, I’m momentarily stunned before I see the body fall. Someone’s shot the woman in the head, and her body crumples to the ground. Standin’, I help Autumn up and notice who pulled the trigger. Jack had guts, I always knew that. She saved us, and we owe her twice over. I would never let anythin’ happen to her and yet she’s the one protectin' me.

“Yeah.. we made it.”

“Awfully uncivilized thing you just did there, Jack.”

“Nice shot though kid. Headshots are a sure way to make sure they don’t get back up and come after us. Let’s get off this crap hole.”

We climb into the ship, and I make sure the others are in before I close the hatch and ascend to the command room. I don't need to learn the layout, I’d been in a ship similar to this before. The others would divvy up the bedrooms, and we’d all crash for much-needed sleep and rest. I, instead, head for the cockpit and start pressing buttons to launch us from the ship. When we’ve gotten a reasonable distance away, I set a course for the planet Paris wanted us to go too. We’d drop him off first.

I’m joined by Autumn who, to my surprise, puts in a chip that starts up a hologram. I watch as she tries to understand what the woman on the screen is saying. It’s new to me, the news but I think I know it more. I knew on some level who my people were, and where I came from because of the dreams. Furya was a dead and dyin’ world, and for all, I knew my parents didn’t want me. That's why I was found the way I was.

“Autumn, I see you put the card in as instructed. Don’t worry, it won’t interfere with the programs or navigation of the Swallow. If you are looking at this, then you’ve saved us all. Most of us on board were slaves of Antonia, forced to follow her orders and watch the ones we love suffer. I’m sure you have questions, and I can give you answers, but not all of them. My name is Lola, and by the time you see this, I will be dead. Killed by either Junner or that damned goll that she likes to have around so much.”

I felt the mood of my mate shift. She was restless and angry. She wanted to pace, but she was tryin’, not too. The fact that someone tried to help her made me curious. How could anyone know who we were, especially who she was and be so willin’ to help? I listened through, to the words that were comin’ from the only ally we had on the ship that we didn’t even know about.

“We know your name because we knew your mother before she was taken. Don’t worry, she wasn’t a merc. Your mother was an ambassador to the planet Furya and your father, well he was one of the Furyan primearchs. One of the leaders. He came from a long line of alpha males, much like the man sitting beside you. He was second in command to the king, and he fell for your mother. If you remember, I told you that there was someone that you should meet. As you are watching this, my orders are being carried out. This person is being unfrozen, removed from his cryo state, and getting prepared to be sent to find you. He has the answers that you both seek. I suggest you heed them. I cannot tell you anymore.”

I was shocked. This woman was Furyan, tellin’ me my mate was Furyan as well. At least I know I’m not the only one left alive. It felt good knowin’ that I wasn’t alone, but I didn’t like the way that Autumn was feelin’. Without this frozen man’s answers, she was goin’ to be upset. The words only gave her more questions and did little to answer her questions. I honestly didn’t think we’d ever indeed find the answers to what either of us was or where our homeworld was.

I was stunned a moment as Autumn got up and left. My thoughts were interrupted by Imam. Who thought he needed to tell me thin's I already knew. I wasn’t worried though, not about the same thin’ he was. I had no doubt that Jack would turn out alright.

“I worry about the girl.”

“That she’ll end up like me?”

“Well yes. But more I worry about Autumn. She doesn’t know much about her past, and she’s never had the guidance of what it’s like to live in society.”

“Bein’ civilized is a bit overrated. Get some sleep. We’ll talk later.”

I don’t even bother to say goodbye as I get up and leave the cockpit. I knew that no one would try to fly the ship without me there. They didn’t know-how. I head to the master suite, the one that had the smell of my mate comin’ from it. As I enter the room, I hear the sobbin’. It’s heart wrenchin’ hearin’ that sound. My animal wants to rip apart everyone that caused her so much distress. She was breakin’ down, as I knew she would. She’d dealt with too much at once. Movin’, I stripped off my shirt and tossed it away. Turnin’ off the now cold shower, I scoop Autumn up into my arms and dry her as much as I can. When I’m satisfied that the woman won’t catch a cold from bein’ wet. I dress her in an oversized shirt I found in one of the drawers and tuck her into the bed. I shower as quickly as I can before joinin’ her. She’s asleep when I get back, but I just hold her, knowin’ she needs comfort more than anything. Tomorrow we’ll deal with everythin’ else.


	11. Stories

I don’t remember dozing off to sleep. Mostly I remember being so upset that my brain shut down and would not allow me to process anything else. So as I stretched out in the bed, I felt my mind slowly coming back to reality. I could feel the heat soaking into me from the body next to mine, and it takes me a moment to remember everything. I’m in a bed, on a ship, and right beside me was Riddick. I know that we needed to talk, but there were still too many people around. Would any of them understand? Would they even care? We’d already been through one hell, getting off that planet only to go through another on the ship. For now, we were free. At least until the mercs caught up with us again.

Opening my eyes slowly, I looked to my right where the body was nestled next to mine. Riddick looked so damn beautiful while asleep, relaxed. I knew he didn't relax often, but there on this ship he could, at least for a moment. Knowing that if I stayed in the bed things would happen, I quickly climbed out and threw on some clothes I found in one of the drawers. I was still wearing the oversized shirt that Riddick must have dressed me in because I could wear it as a dress. It came down to my knees and protected most everything from sight. I had, however, found a pair of shorts that I could throw on. Not that anyone would see them.

Making my way quietly out of the room, I surveyed what I was seeing. To my right and left were bedrooms that took up the hallway. I didn’t yet want to know who was in which room, I’d find out soon enough. Directly ahead of me was the hallway that leads to the common area where I had seen couches and a table. We could relax and enjoy things there. Moving in that direction, I knew I was looking for the galley or kitchen. Either one would serve my purposes. See, I had a hidden talent that no one knew about, and I was going to show them.

There wasn’t much chance to cook in a slam, I hadn’t cooked since I was ten. I used to be forced to make breakfast for the guards when I was still in their favor. It’s not like someone forgets something like that. I found the kitchen off to the left of the common area. Entering the spacious area, I gasped a little in surprise. I wasn’t expecting this. Everything look state of the art and I hoped the others would appreciate what I was going to do.

Looking in the cold unit, I couldn’t help but smile at what I found. Pulling out all the ingredients I’d need, I started to cook. Firing up the stove, I grilled the ham and bacon. That would be a good thing to do. While that was heating and cooking, I started to make pancakes. I don’t know where I learned the recipe, but for some reason, I could remember it. Slowly, I began to stir the ingredients together before pouring it into a pan. Over the sounds of the bacon sizzling in the pan and the other things cooking I could hear people rousing.

I wanted to pay attention to it but I couldn’t. I needed to focus on cooking. At least that was the plan until two rather large arms wrapped around my waist, and a kiss was placed on my neck, right over his mark. I hadn’t even heard Riddick’s approach, and that bothered me. Not in a wrong way, just something that told me he’d always be able to sneak up on me. Maybe it was because I was simply still too distracted.

“Morning, Riddick. You hungry?

“You can call me Richard, or Rick. Only you, for now.”

Hearing him allow me to address him in a way that was contrary to what the world did was an honor. Most everyone just called him by his last name. It was a way to acknowledge him without actually recognizing him. Riddick was odd, this we all knew, but he was giving me a chance to be less formal with him. Even now, as he started to do more shows of public affection. I smiled and giggled at him before shrugging him off.

“Go sit Rick. I’ll have breakfast done in a minute.”

I watched as he took a seat at the table, and the others started to slowly make their way in. More than likely, they were attracted to the smell of the bacon or the ham. When I was sure that all the food was cooked, I moved the plates to the table. Jack came into the kitchen where I was at and smiled.

“You want any help?”

“Sure, can you make sure everyone has a plate and something to drink, along with silverware? I’ll bring the food in a second.”

I’d made a feast I hoped they would enjoy. I was starving, haven’t had a real meal in a while. Moving the food to the table, I watched with barely restrained glee at the looks on the faces of our companions. All of them were staring at the food like it was mana from heaven, and that made me smile. I just hoped it tasted as good as it looked. Setting the last plate down, the one loaded with hashbrowns, I looked around for a chair. While the ship we were on was much larger than the skiff, there still wasn’t enough room for all of us.

Finding another chair, I wedged myself in between Jack and Riddick with a laugh. Everyone seemed to be waiting for me, so I motioned for them to start eating. Imam wanted to pray over the food, and I couldn’t begrudge him his religion. He’d done so much to help us and keep our spirits up that I didn’t mind. I could feel Riddick tensing beside me, but he let it pass. When the blessing was done, everyone started to dig into their food. My brain was still wrapped around the words I’d heard on the hologram, and for a moment I forgot we were supposed to eat.

There was a soft nudge in my side, causing me to snap my eyes over to Riddick’s. I could see the look of concern in his features, and everyone else’s for that matter. With a shrug, I started piling food on my plate and eating. It all came out better than I thought it would. Truth be told, slams didn’t have kitchens, and I was afraid I’d burn it. With a soft moan, I dug into the bacon, ham, and pancakes until I couldn’t hold anymore. This was a peaceful time until someone broke the silence with a sneer. I knew whose voice it was, and honestly, I wasn’t surprised. The puff of a man didn’t deserve to live, but he had. I’d be glad when we dumped his ass off first.

“Where’d you learn to cook? I figured most convicts were too stupid to understand the basic skills of life.”

“Actually, the female guard that raised me until I was ten taught me how to cook. As long as I made the guards breakfast, they didn’t try to hurt me. Things aren’t always as they appear, Paris”

I couldn’t help the smile that graced my face at the growl. Riddick wasn’t going to let anyone talk to me that way and get away with it. Right then, though, everyone was too curious about my answer to do much of anything. I would be glad when we dropped Paris off on his planet and never saw him again. Having lost my appetite, I stood up from the table and went out into the common area. I had no idea what I was going to do, but it was clear that out of everyone here, Paris was going to be a problem. People like him would never change. They were so stuck in their ways, in their fears and prejudices, that they never wanted to make things different.

Curling up on the couch, letting my head rest against the arm of the sofa, I felt hot wet tears trek down my face blurring my vision from everyone around me. I was so lost in my own head, in my grief and pain, that I barely heard the commotion in the kitchen. When I saw Paris run past as if he was scared, I paid no attention. The only time I noticed anything was when I was scooped up into a pair of strong arms and then sat back down on the couch, in the same arms. Riddick had me in his lap, so I could lean against him. Jack sat right next to us, and Zeke, Shazza, Imam, and his three sons took the other chairs. All eyes were on me.

“Are you, alright child?”

“Paris shouldn’t have said that. He’ll leave you alone until we drop him off.”

“Yeah, quite sure Riddick made him piss himself.”

I turned my head a moment to look into the silver shined eyes of Riddick. We all could see, the lights were low. So it didn't matter. It wasn’t like we were being hunted right now. The look he was giving me spoke volumes. Apparently, he didn’t take kindly to anyone hurting me, even Paris. Words hurt, I knew that, but I also knew that I’d have to grow stronger if I wanted to survive.

“I guess I just don’t understand his prejudicial judgment. I can understand it towards someone like Riddick, who, on some level, can be considered a convict. I was never sentenced to life in the slam. I was born there, had no choice but to learn to kill and fight to survive. I know other things because a man inside, he was a teacher at Helion Prime. He taught me to speak, to read, to write. He taught me quick-thinking but years in the slam, unable to see taught me everything else. I could survive on my own if I had to. I just... We saved him, and this is the thanks he gives us?”

The others don’t really say much, but I could see the sadness in their eyes. Riddick obviously told the man something, but I didn’t want to push. It wasn’t my place to demand answers. Instead, I realized that it was time for us to get to know others. They needed to understand our role in the world so they could keep our secret. Maybe that was wishful thinking on my part. Whatever it was, now was the time for the rest of us to talk. I watched a moment though, as Ali, Hassan, and Sulemien realize that this was for adults and they got up and went off into another room.

“One thing that you can know is that trust is hard for us to get. As labeled convicts and murderer’s we don’t get trust. It was something else to see you guys trust us to get you to that skiff and then off of that other ship. Every one of you, but Paris, is appreciative. I understand your reservations on trusting us, but there are things you need to know. I have killed people, I will probably continue to kill people. In all reality, its a kill or be killed world, and the weak ones die faster than you can think. Look, none of us choose to be born the way we were, none of us. We become who we are through our actions. If any of you have a problem with the fact that I have had to kill people, that Riddick has had to kill people, then we ask you to speak up now. Otherwise, it’s time to share who we are.”

We had to trust them, that when we landed and got off this ship that there was someone else out there looking out for us. I had plans, ideas that ran through my mind, but I would need people to back me up. Having Zeke and Shazza as someone that we could rely on in the future would be beneficial. Especially if we needed a hideout. Same with Imam. Jack was there in the room, and I knew that she would be the first to talk. We needed to know her story if we were going to figure out what to do with her.

Feeling someone tap me on the shoulder, I looked up into Riddick’s eyes. He had removed his goggles, and his silver-shined orbs look back at mine. He leaned down and kissed me hard and fast, promising that we would talk about us later when we were alone. Not there, in front of the others. I heard a chuckling coming from my right, and I pulled away and blushed, watching the look that crossed Zeke and Shazza’s face. They couldn’t care less; actually, they seem quite pleased that he and I were close. I know they saw my bite mark, and they said nothing.

I turned a moment and took a steady breath, breathing in the scent of Richard. I liked his smell. It calmed the animal inside of me. There were things about me that I hadn’t even told the others. It wasn’t just the eyeshine they put me through. There were experimentations, but I wasn’t going to say anything on that yet. I would tell Riddick before we progressed any further in our relationship. He needed to know everything about me, and I was sure he’d say to me enough about his own life. With a soft sigh, I realized I was comfortable for the first time in a good long while. I noticed on the table beside me was a glass of juice, and when I raised an eyebrow, all I got was a nod telling me it was mine. Taking a sip, I focused on trying to understand what was happening.

The ship was going to make it on time, to Paris’ planet long before the others. Autopilot was a beautiful thing. It gave us time to have these talks and to understand what was going on. Right, I’d rather have Paris off the ship before we did any of this, but here we were. There wasn’t any time for us to change our minds. I wanted to ask each of them why they were aboard the Hunter-Gratzner, but I knew there was another question brimming on the horizon first.

“So, what happened to the captain.”

“She wasn’t the captain. She was just the dockin’ pilot, and she tried to kill all of us before the landin’.”

“On the way, Riddick hid us in a cave, a place where we could be safe until he had his hands free and didn’t have the cells. She didn’t like how close Jack was to me or that I was calling the shots. Apparently, just like Paris and Johns, she couldn’t get over the fact that I was a convict. She tried to make a move for Jack, I was afraid she was going to hurt the girl. So I took care of it. She’s more than likely critter food.”

“Good riddance then.”

I was honestly surprised at the reactions. Both Shazza and Imam had watched me smack her so hard that her neck broke against the rock, and neither of them was condemning me for it. It was strange, but I felt like they agreed with my actions. That alone was hard enough. People didn’t usually agree with what I said. With each passing second, I relaxed more, and I felt Riddick relaxing too. We didn’t need to be judged, we’d had enough of that to last a lifetime. These people, their actions, signaled that we had friends, if not friends at least allies we could trust.

Jack took a deep breath, I could hear her preparing to speak. She needed to tell us the secrets she had harbored that had brought her on board that ship. The way she had to be cut out of her cryotube was a clear sign that the girl had been a stowaway. I was too, but I was at least old enough and tall enough to break myself out. We knew that there was some hidden terror she had been running from, and she’d feel better if she told us.

“My name is Jacqueline Aurora Harding. Jack, or Jackie for short. It was easier to do that than trying to create a whole new persona. At least, I think it was. I’m from the planet Taurus 1 in the Apollo system. You’d think with a name like that it’d be a suitable planet, but it’s not. My parents weren’t very well off, we barely scraped by. I was the youngest of seven children, all boys but for me. My father he didn’t want a daughter. He wanted men. They were reliable, and they could work in the mines. Taurus 1 has lots of diamond mines, and the men go and work, and the women stay at home. So when I was born, they tried to make me as boyish is as possible. It was my punishment they said.

When I was about six mom died and left us with our father. I was sent away to the orphanage because he didn’t want anything to do with me. They took me in, and for a while, things were fine. I was fed, clothed, and taught to read and write. That was until I was about ten. No one could see that I was a boy, they could tell I was a girl, and I started to get into fights. Taurus 1 doesn't really value women as a whole. So when I was ten, I was sent to another planet entirely. Taurus 4, this was the correctional planet. We didn’t have a slam, but it was where the ‘trouble’ kids were sent when they needed to get rid of them.

For a year I was set up in that horrible place. They made female ‘students’ become slaves to men. We had to serve them, bathe them, whatever they wanted. The more I fought back, the more I got hit. I learned to fight some, but I’m not very good. As soon as I could, I snuck out of that place. Their security was a joke. They had one guard patrolling fifteen floors. It was easy to sneak out. I saw a cargo ship land in the area, and I snuck aboard and went wherever they were going. From there, I just randomly kept hopping ships until I saw one bound for Helion Prime and New Mecca. I snuck aboard the HG, and well, you know the rest. I was on my way to Helion Prime because I am supposed to have a cousin there related to my mom.”

With each word that came out of her mouth, I found myself growling louder and louder. No one should have to deal with that, no one. It didn’t matter what her age was. I was wrapped up tight in Riddick’s arms; otherwise, I was sure that I would have jumped through the ship and tried to change our course. We would deal with the fuckers that hurt Jack after we took care of Paris. Those feelings weren’t ones I was used to, this desire to protect the pack. Was she pack? Did I even know what pack meant?

I watched as each of the adults looked at Jack in their own way. I could easily read the pain and hurt in their own features. They knew the world wasn’t a happy place, but to hear the stories broke their heart, especially for someone like Jack. She was only twelve years old, and the world had already shown her how horrible it could be. Riddick had a fierce sense of determination about him that set my blood boiling. Not in the wrong way. He had a weakness, children, and we all knew that. I wasn’t going to exploit it because it could be said to be my weakness as well. We would do anything to protect children.

“Jack, I promise you this. They will pay. Slowly and painfully, they will pay. After we drop Paris off, we will go pay a little visit to Taurus 1. You’re family, they are as good as dead to you, do you understand? They aren’t your family anymore. We are. Riddick, myself, and the others if they wish it. We will look after you.”

I didn’t know what else to say. I could see the girl upset, but I wasn’t good at the whole consoling thing. My world was one of pain and survival. I knew that the closer we grew to New Mecca and Helion, the more of a decision we’d have to make. I had a few thoughts about what could happen with Jack, but I wasn’t quite ready to share them yet. If she had family, we should try to find them, only I had a bad feeling that if we did they’d try to get Jack back to Taurus 4. That was not a place for anyone to be.

I felt a pair of arms tighten around me again as Riddick leaned in to sniff my neck. Our bond was not wholly set; we hadn’t consummated anything. Right then, I was just his marked mate, but if we didn’t act on sealing it soon, things would get out of hand. I knew that he probably wanted to, but we needed to finish this discussion. We needed to get these secrets out in the open if we were to make allies or even friends. We would need them if we hoped to survive any of this. I knew that. We’d only been in space a grand total of two days since the escape from that planet, and we still had another six before we reached Paris’ world. Oh I wanted him already gone.

Taking a moment to turn and kiss Riddick’s cheek, I climbed out of his arms and headed for the kitchen. Rummaging around, I found an old fashioned kettle and started some water. Moving around, I found a silver tray and set out a few mugs and some selection of teas and chocolates. I had no idea what anyone wanted, and when the whistle alerted me to the fact it was done, I set the hot kettle on the tray and carried it back out to the others. They seemed to have been waiting for me. I was restless, antsy, and so much more. I just didn’t know what to say to them.

Setting the tray down on the table between us, I slowly made myself a cup of tea and watched as the others did so as well. Sitting back, only not in Riddick’s lap this time, I sipped at my tea slowly. I could feel his arm around my shoulder in a possessive way, and I didn’t mind so much. I was probably younger than Jack when it came to experiences of the world, but my animal was content, and she was purring, so I’d let it be. I could see the looks on Imam's face, and he didn’t seem to have a problem with this. Neither did Shazza or Zeke either. For now, all was good. I watched, though, as Jack got up and went to go find the other three children on board the ship. She needed to get her mind off of the situation.

“I remember telling you my name was Shazza, but it’s actually short for Sharon. My real name is Sharon Montgomery. My father is a wealthy industrialist trillionaire, and he hates my choice in lovers. See, I grew up in New Australia in the Tartarus system. My father owns most of the land there, and well, you can imagine what life was like growing up. It was all fancy parties and ball gowns, and I wasn’t happy. I grew up with money and knowing that every single person would do what I said simply because of that. My father hated the idea that I wanted to work, that I wanted to do something with my life.

When I met Zeke, here, my father was furious. He knew that Zeke was a ‘lower class’ and he refused to let me see him. I’m a grown woman. I don’t have to listen to the man. He didn’t even mean well. It’s not like I can sit here and tell you that my father was a nice man. Really he wasn’t. He wasn’t abusive to me or anything like that; he just cared more about money than anything else. So when Zeke and I saved up enough money, we left together and haven’t really looked back. We became prospectors, hopping from planet to planet looking for work. It’s not that hard of a life to lead. Both of us have a knowledge of mechanics, and we can make things fit together, like those breathers.

One thing I do want you to know is that regardless of what my father feels, my name still carries weight. You are safe with me. You can count on us anytime you need it. Just look us up and ask, and whatever you need, we’ll help you get. Even if it’s just a place to stay. As far as I’m concerned, Riddick died on that planet, you’re whatever name you decide to come up with, long time family friends. I mean it. Whatever you need, just ask. You saved our lives, and I hope one day to be able to return the favor.”

For a moment I wondered if Riddick would consider it. I know that as a convict, you don’t learn to trust people. It’s not easy, to say the least, to let people in at all. Trust wasn’t something we were familiar with, ever, and yet they were throwing it out there for us. A part of me wondered if we could actually count on them in a year. Sure they could tell us to trust them now, say without a doubt they would agree now, but there was no way they could promise the future. No one knew what the future held, and the truth was simply that Riddick and I were wanted.

We would always have mercs on our neck; the only way to stop that was for the bounty to disappear. The only way that would happen was if we were dead. I didn’t plan on dying any time soon, so they were out of luck. Even now, as I wondered, everyone seemed to understand that we were different. I was slowly beginning to think it had something to do with the fact that I was Furyan, and well, apparently, Riddick was as well. Everyone knows the circumstances behind my eyeshine but not how I managed to survive. A part of me honestly feels like it has something to do with my past. Riddick also survived his, and he’s well known for it. Others had a shine but from what I remember the only ones left alive, are myself and Riddick.

“Shazza is right. My life was that of someone without money. My parents spent much of their time working in the mines. It's my Aboriginal heritage that most people didn’t like. I still remember the day I met Shazza. I wasn’t all that impressed at first. You know you see a lot of rich people around and most act like it. She was different, though, and soon enough, I was falling for her. I just wish that she hadn’t had to give up her life for me. She could have been happy if only her father had accepted us. I might never be rich, but that doesn’t stop me from loving her. She’s right though, whatever you guys need, we will try to help. One of the few good things about hopping from planet to planet it looking for work is that most of the time, no one questions what we do.”

I could only nod my head at Zeke. I was slowly learning to trust them, and maybe that was because they weren’t showing that they were still scared of us. It was almost as if we had become some sort of weird extended family. _Pack._ The word kept circling in my head. Maybe this is what it was like to have a pack. The two leaders, the Alphas, no doubt, were Riddick and me. Our beta would be clearly Shazza and Zeke, but the rest were just people under our protection. I knew that even now, I would do whatever I could to keep them safe. I wanted to keep them safe, but rule number one about survival is doing whatever it takes to keep yourself alive.

Running a hand through my hair, I sighed. I had no idea what I honestly looked like, I couldn’t see all that well in the lights. Not even sure if anyone could tell me what I looked like, and I’d believe them. All they usually saw was the shine and automatically assume convict. While it’s true, I am an escaped convict, there could be the chance the shine wasn’t from the prison. Most of the world is judged, fools the lot of them. They only see one side of the story, only accept one take. I still remembered everyone’s reactions to me the moment they saw me on that planet. Of course, it took the word of a merc for them not to trust us, but then they slowly realized, who the real bad guy was.

With each moment I wondered if we were right to even trust Imam. He was supposed to be a holy man, but he knew far more about things than he should. Yes, rumors get around, but most normal people didn’t know about merc transport ships like he did. They didn’t seem as willing to allow a convict anywhere near them. Maybe Imam was just different, perhaps that’s the problem with him. I just know that something about him set me on edge just a little. I wanted to know what his story was because I didn’t buy what he said back on the ship. Riddick might have, but I didn’t.

“I was simply on a hajj, a pilgrimage to New Mecca. It’s something everyone is supposed to do once in their lifetime. Those three boys, they are on the hajj I was merely sent to guide them. Yet I find that I am not quite such a good leader. Without the two of you, we would have never made it off the planet. I sat in that cave, and I watched as you hit the captain with one slap, and she was gone. I don’t understand the strength that you have, but it was a value. While my God doesn’t condemn violence or killing, I can’t say that it did not benefit us. We all have our reasons for doing anything, but sharing them, well, that’s up to you.”

That didn’t help at all. His words only served to upset me more, to anger me at his lies. I wondered if he knew that I could smell the deceit on him. Hell, I asked if Riddick could feel it. The holy man was keeping something from us, something that probably wouldn’t hurt us in the end. What was I supposed to say right now, though? Could I even deny it? I didn’t know what more they want me to tell. I knew for a fact that Richard would probably only share with me, and maybe Jack. They couldn’t expect him to willingly start sharing pieces of his life with them.

“What are you expecting me to share Imam? What part of ‘I don’t know my past’ did you not comprehend? Oh, you want the story that I told Jack back on the planet, right? Is that it? You want to know how and why I ended up being a convict, someone that just escaped at the age of twenty-five? I guess I can tell you, but you probably won’t like the answers that I will give. Life isn’t always black and white when people start to learn that things will be so much better. I assume that you all used to understand that the merc/bounty hunter and convict dichotomy was flawless, right? That those that hunted the criminals were just upstanding members of ‘verse? Well, think again. Most mercs have more innocent blood on their hands than even the hardened convicts.

They want you to think that those of us that have killed people to survive are nothing but animals. That we kill without reason, and that’s just not the case. The first person I ever killed tried to rape me. I was only ten years old. What was I supposed to do? Not fight back? They would have liked it. Some people honestly think that as criminals, we deserve whatever happens to us in prisons, but really, we don’t. Most everyone in there, or at least the ones that die off quickly, are thereby someone else’s manipulations. No one is supposed to be born in prison, but I was. My mother, from what I can gather, was the emissary to Furya. She was an ambassador who crossed paths with Antonia Chillingsworth who wanted to use her as art.

Instead she got captured and dropped off at Butcher Bay. What most of you probably aren’t aware of is the fact that Butcher Bay has three levels. It's single to triple max slam, and only a rare few actually get put in the triple max area. My mother was on level two, a double-max area. It’s underground in the mines. No light, no clean air to breathe. Darkness all around, when not surrounded by the artificial lights they put up. I don’t even really know my mother’s name. She died giving birth to me. I was supposed to die; no one could live in those conditions, could they? Apparently, they could. I lived.”

With each word out of my mouth, I could see the others looking at me. Jack, I’d already told some of this story too but these people, they didn’t know it. They had no idea that the reason I’d been so against Johns and Fry were because of the way they acted and how it reminded me of slam. Would they even care in the end? Taking a shaky breath, I tried to gather my thoughts. I hated thinking about my time being locked up, about the lives I’d seen die and the friends I’d lost. I didn’t want them to know that my weakness was simply I didn’t have the experiences that the others had. I learned to fight and survive because there was no other choice. The arms that were around me pulled me closer, and I could feel Riddick trying to ease me. His nose was buried in my neck at his mark, and he was purring softly.

“Ain’t ya’ll hear enough. Sittin’ here demandin’ our life stories ain’t gonna change anythin’. We are who we are because we are victims of circumstance. My woman here might want to share with you, but don’t be expectin’ me to tell you a damn thing. Understood?”

I could feel the tension in the room rise a moment at Riddick’s comments, but they all just nodded. No one expected him to share anything anyway. In truth, it was the fear that Riddick demanded of people the lack of knowledge in his life that people found interesting. It wasn’t like any of his past was recorded anywhere. Though, I did have a surprise for him later on, when there weren’t so many people around.

“You can imagine that everyone expected me to die. Babies and harsh environments aren’t a good thing. I didn’t. I was raised by the only female prison guard at the time. She couldn’t have kids, and she wanted them, so she raised me. When I wasn’t busy doing her little chores, there was a man called Matlock who taught me to read and write. He wanted me to be educated so that if I did ever manage to escape, I could do so and not look back. I would be seen as a civilized human being. Only you can’t train an animal to be human. I’m sure you’ve all caught on the fact that I’m not human, not entirely. I just recently came across information that said I was Furyan, so apparently, there are two survivors.

So between the guards and Matlock, I learned to cook, clean, wash, etc. Things that people would need to know how to do outside of a slam. More than that, I learned to fight. I was ten when I started to show the guards that I was actually a girl. Not that they didn’t know before. They thought they could help me into a little sex doll, but I wanted nothing to do with it. I fought, and I killed a guard. My first kill, at a tender age. I didn’t know what else to do; I just knew that if I didn’t fight, I’d not like the outcome. As punishment for me killing one of the guards, they strapped me down to a table. They brought in this guy, Pope Joe. He was the one that did the ‘shine’ jobs, or so they said. Most people that were given a shine either never see again, or they don’t survive the pain of it. I was a fucking child, and they forced me through it, nothing to dull the pain. Nothing. Well, nothing but this crazy lady that I’m pretty sure was a hallucination that was talking to me through it.”

I was trying to not reveal too much, some things I needed to keep to myself. I wanted to know what it meant to be Furyan without having to dig for answers. The only other person that could explain it to me would be Riddick. Even now, as I mention the woman, I can feel him pulsing with questions. He was this constant presence in my head, demanding, and yet gentle at the same time. I was done talking, but not done with my story, I needed them to understand something.

“From that moment on I wasn’t normal anymore. I could no longer see in the light. It hurt my eyes. I learned to see in the dark. I don't know if it’s due to my Furyan heritage or the fact that the Bay is dark but my sense of smell, hearing, taste. All of it increased. The body adapts when somethings not working the way it should. I learned to be stealthy, to be the hunter instead of the hunted. Though I was hunted. From the moment I had the shine, I was hunted. They wanted to kill me. I fought, I killed. I’m not going to apologize for it. It’s kill or be killed in the slams and only the strongest survive. I will tell you this. There’s only one other known convict to have escaped and said the convict was in triple-max cryo lockdown. He’s sitting here with us. Most of the slams aren’t that hard to escape, no one’s just brave enough or patient enough to try. I’d do it again too. Why? It brought me to you, and it helped me save you.”

Pushing my way from the couch, I felt Riddick let me go, reluctantly, at least. I knew that he wanted to hold me until he knew that I was calm. It was a thing. I wasn’t going to run, but I needed to get out of the room. The time wasn’t going to go any faster with us sitting around, blathering out our problems, or hashing out who thought what about whom. I didn’t want to do that anymore. I just needed space. I had no idea what to do to pass the time, simply because giving the time in a slam was different. Out here in space, there was no clear indication of when day or night moved came and went. Instead, we had to rely on technology to tell us.

Leaving the sitting room, I headed back into the bedroom that I was sharing with Riddick. A part of me wondered if he’d go through with what both our animals wanted. We wanted to finish mating, to be one, but could we do it with the others around. It wasn’t like they didn’t expect it. I had a feeling that Shazza and Zeke both were secretly rooting for it. Imam was the unknown source, the one that I wasn’t sure about. I wanted to trust him, but something about him told me no. Glancing out of the window in the starship, I could see the stars fly by as we whirled at lightspeed to our destination. I liked traveling this way, no cryo needed. We could actually sleep for the first time in forever.

Standing there in our room, looking out the window, I sighed. I knew what money was, but I had none. Well, aside from what I stole from the house just before my escape. I would need to spend it on supplies, like clothing and personal supplies. Weapons weren’t a problem. I could try to fashion weapons out of things, but we couldn’t keep this vessel forever. People would grow suspicious. Not only that, but New Mecca was our last stop. Was I supposed to be left there to fend for myself? I didn’t want to be alone, I didn’t want to watch Riddick leave me. Each of these thoughts started to fall in on me, and I could feel my panic rise. I didn’t want to be left alone.

I could hear the sound of feet pattering across the ship, but none of them were Richard’s. For a man that is as large as he is, he doesn’t make a single sound. I almost didn’t know he was there until I felt his arms around me once more. His smell was the first thing I noticed, and it calmed me down some. He and I, we needed to talk and now was as good as any. Turning from my spot at the window and looking up. I could see him studying me with his goggle-less eyes. So many emotions flittered across his face.

“‘Bout time you and I had a little chat. I know that I marked you in the corin’ room. Told the world and those fuckin’ creatures just who you belonged too. Didn’t hear ya protestin’ on the ship either when I took a few liberties. I think you promised me a ‘later.’ One thin’ you need to know about me. I won’t leave you. You’ll be stuck with me until we both die. You understand?”

“It’s not like I’m asking for anything different Rick. I want this. I’ve wanted this since before you sought to show me dominance and mark me. Is it love? Hell, if I know, but the animal in me is more than willing to submit to you, as the alpha.”

For a moment I just stood there and stared at him. I knew he needed my submission, he’s the dominant one in the party, but I also knew that there would be times when he allowed me to be my own. Our lives were about to be intermingled on a level that could not be taken back. We were going to be doing something irreversible. A part of me was nervous, Riddick would be my first and only lover, and I had no way of knowing if this was right or not. I just had Matlock’s words, telling me to trust my animal and she was telling me this was right.

Before I could overthink, I could feel a pair of lips crash down on mine. His kiss was gentle and yet demanding at the same time. I quickly gave in. Why shouldn’t I? We both wanted this. Kissing though, it wasn’t going to be enough, and both of us were more than ready for this to happen. With each passing second on the kissing, I could feel my arousal spike and scent the air, knowing that Riddick could smell it as well. This was going to be it.

He pulled back a moment and watched me. His eyes taking in as much as he could. My face was flush from the exertions, but I knew that we weren’t done yet. Gently he picked me up and carried me the few steps to the bed, setting me down on edge. My clothing choice was, unfortunately, going to aide him more than me. Before I could think, he had already slipped my shirt off my shoulders and tossed it across the room. I was sitting there with nothing on but the shorts I threw on to get out of bed.

Silver eyes started to roam my figure, and I blushed and tried to cover myself up. The action was met with a growl and a pair of giant hands trapping mine against the headboard. He looked down at me, and I could see that he was enjoying what he could see. Gently his other hand came up and wrapped itself in my hair before pulling me up for a kiss. He was making me heated, and it honestly felt damn good. I was moaning and writhing and trying to get him to take me higher.

Moving his lips from mine, he started to trail soft kisses against my skin. I could feel him ghosting over it and feel the goosebumps rising. It did nothing to make me afraid. When he got down to the barrier of my shorts, I watched him smirk a moment before he pulled them off with one hand. He wasn’t unskilled at this, and it almost made me frown. A part of me kept telling myself that there would always be this difference between us.

I didn’t have to hear him talk to me to understand what he was going to do. As his hands and lips trailed across my skin, I felt myself grow ready. Moving slowly, he traced the center of my being, and I couldn’t help but moan and buck in response. Slowly he slid one finger inside of me like he had when we were on the ship hiding from the goll. He knew that I was going to be tight, that I wasn’t going to be able to fight this. Gently he slipped a second finger inside of me as he prepared. It felt good, the ache only seemed to get worse though, and I knew that I was probably becoming a tad incoherent in my moans and whispers.

Our time was now, at least that’s what my head was telling me during all of this. I knew that we didn’t have much time to play around, that could come later. No, we needed to finish our bonding if we were going to be able to focus and to use it to our advantage. A part of me wondered exactly what Riddick’s intentions were as he trailed kisses down my stomach and across my thighs. I didn’t have to wait long, at least, not before his fingers were replaced by a tongue. I was already on edge, so ready to go over that it didn’t take much this time to send me into a fit of pleasurable spasms.

My first orgasm, ever, ripped through me like a tidal wave. His name falling from my lips as if I was praying to some sort of higher power. I watched with hooded eyes as he pulled back to stare at me, a slight smirk on his features. Oh yes, he was enjoying this, but I wasn’t going to begrudge him that. I was enjoying it too. From my vantage point, I watched as he withdrew from me for a moment and stripped himself of his clothing. My eyes took in as much of his well-defined muscles as it could. The man was packed, in more ways than one.

I could feel myself almost drool simply by looking at him. The smile he gave me, knowing that I was staring at him almost made me combust right there on the spot. Lust raged between the two of us, and maybe a hint of love. Moving with an animal like grace, Riddick was once again leaning over me, searing his lips with mine. Hands and fingers moved and caressed as much of each other as we possibly could. I know that with every movement I was trying to memorize him, the feel of his muscles under my hands, the feel of just him.

He took his spot between my legs and for a moment paused. I know he was trying to convey that he didn’t want to hurt me, giving me one last chance to back out. Honestly, I doubt I could have. This wasn’t going to be terribly painful, he struck me as the kind of man to do what he could to make it at least pleasurable. I could sense the hesitation, and I reached up to cup his face with my hand.

“Are you sure about this? Tell me now because I don’t think if we keep goin’, I’ll be able to stop.”

“Richard.. We need this. You and I. I don’t mind a little pain, just promise me you won’t stop no matter. what?”

Apparently that was all he needed to hear because within the blink of an eye he had slammed himself home, taking me in one stroke. It hurt a little, but it mostly felt like an uncomfortable pinch. I could feel his body frozen above mine, trying to give me time to adjust to him. He was huge, at least I would assume so. I had nothing to compare him with, and I didn’t feel like comparing his size at the moment. Touched by his willingness to wait I leaned up and kissed him as much as I could.

It was as if the dam broke and he started moving, slowly at first, in and out. Drawing pleasurable moans and groans out of my body. It wasn’t going to be enough, though, and soon he was moving faster and faster. My growls, and urging, of course, the catalyst that he needed in slamming into me. Our animals were battling for dominance, and well, he was winning. I wasn’t going to get too upset by that.

Our first time together was unlike anything I could explain. It felt as if, for the first time, I was becoming whole. I could feel myself edging closer to the end, and I knew we both needed a push to dive over that edge, but what would it be? Apparently, Riddick had the same idea because just as I was about to break apart, I felt his teeth on his mark. He bit down, drawing blood and re-establishing the dominance and the claim. I bit him too, only my mark didn’t draw blood. I wasn’t able too. I simply clamped my teeth against his neck and felt both of us explode.

I could feel myself give out, not having anything to compare too, I would have to say this was fantastic. I can feel the weight of Riddick above me, his eyes watching me and his face smiling down at me as he moved. Arms snuck around me and pulled me close, letting me rest my head against his well-muscled chest. I was exhausted and so very sated. The animal inside of me was basking in the afterglow and sated. I’ve never felt this complete in all of my life. I wanted to curl up and sleep, but I needed to talk to at least figure out what this means.

“I.. feel whole for the first time in.. well forever.”

“I know baby. Our animals wouldn’t be calm until we were bound completely. Now the world will know you’re mine and I’m yours and, baby, I keep what’s mine. Rest now. We can talk later.”

I felt like I should tell him I cared for him. Was it love? I don’t know. What did it mean to love someone? I wasn’t loved in the slam, so I had no sort of reference point for this. Letting the command of my alpha wash over me, I closed my eyes and allow the heat of him to wash over me as I drifted off to sleep. I didn’t want to worry about how long we’d been in here, no one would bother us unless it was a real emergency. I needed rest, we all did, and food.

I felt a gentle kiss on the top of my head and the fact that Riddick wasn’t making any move to move. If he was comfortable, then I was comfortable, and I was asleep within a matter of moments. He’d worn me out, but that was a good thing right. Rest was the only thing that I was lacking. Right now I doubted that I’d be up for anything other than sleeping anyway.

****\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------** **

Sleepin’ wasn’t always somethin’ that came easy to me. Not since my time in the slams. I could function on a whole lot less sleep than most people, but bein’ so close to Autumn made it hard for me to resist. I was holdin’ her tight hopin’ that whatever sad thoughts she had would drift away come mornin’. For the first time in as long as I could remember, I actually wanted to protect someone and that someone turned out to be my mate. I’ve been called an animal for so long but for the first time the animal inside of me was happy to just lay here and let the woman rest.

I could feel when she started to rouse, but I didn’t wanna wake her. Playin’ like I was still asleep, I let her do whatever she wanted. Scaring her wasn’t goin’ to get anythin’ accomplished. I knew that, yet a part of me wanted to wake up and tell her that I liked wakin’ up beside her. When I was sure that she wasn’t aware of me bein’ awake, I snapped open my eyes and watched her. I was in time to watch her saunter out of the room in one of my shirts and a pair of shorts. I didn’t care what she wore, honestly, as long as she was comfortable. After everythin’ that happened, she could be allowed these small luxuries. It’s not like she had much to wear anyway. Most convicts right out of the slam didn’t. I would have to rectify that. I couldn’t let her walk around with nothin’ could I?

I listened carefully as I heard her walkin’ to the kitchen. Despite all of it, she was still super quiet, and I had to strain to hear her. I knew in time she’d come to hear even my most silent footsteps. For now, I was content to just listen to her to make her way into the kitchen. Breakfast was in order. The pups needed food, regardless of what kind of protests they might have. Food was always something that children needed, and I wasn’t gonna stop them. In fact, I was actually lookin’ forward to have a decently cooked meal. Bein’ a convict usually meant I hunted and cooked my food over an open fire in a cave on some planet. One could only have so many meals like that before they got old.

Slidin’ out of bed I threw on a clean pair of pants and one of my black tanks and headed out towards the sounds and smells. I could hear the others rousin’, and I wanted to make it to the kitchen before they did. My feet were quiet as I padded through the ship and stopped a moment to sniff the air. She was making bacon, eggs, pancakes, and the like. The very idea of it had my mouth waterin’. Slowly I approached and wrapped my arms around her. I didn’t want her anywhere else, well, alright, maybe one other place. Still, it felt good to have her wrapped in my arms.

“Morning, Riddick. You hungry?

“You can call me Richard, or Rick. Only you. for now.”

I didn’t mind if she called me either. Richard was my real name, but so few people ever used it. I was always Riddick this or Riddick that. So why not let my mate, my lover call me by my given name if not a nickname of it at least. I still had my arms around her as we were talkin’, and I could hear the others goin’ and findin’ a seat at the table. She’d bring the food out soon enough. We could see her from the table, and vise versa. Not that it mattered. Everyone that was on the ship, except maybe Paris, was someone I was slowly startin’ to trust.

“Go sit Rick. I’ll have breakfast done in a minute.”

I followed her instructions and went and took a seat. I was by Jack with an open spot for her, assumin’ the others didn’t try to all fill in around me. Mostly I would have expected them to congregate on the far end of the table. They didn’t, though. They all sat equally around the table as if we were some family that they just included everyone in. I didn’t mind it much; honestly, it was unusual to have people so close to me. Jack’s a good kid, I know that much as I watch her go and see if my girl needs any help. Someone should have at least asked. She went through all that trouble to cook them their food, least they could do is offer to help in some way.

When the food was on the table I noticed the problem. There wasn’t a chair really for my girl, and that didn’t bother me. I watched as she wedged a chair in between the kid and myself. I knew she needed the comfort. It was subtle, but it was there. When she motioned for everyone to start eatin’, we did. The food was so good. In all honesty, I hadn’t expected it to taste this good. This was like home-cooked goodness that you only found on the smaller planets. Not from someone that lived and grew up in a slam. It wasn’t all that hard to understand that much. I wasn’t goin’ to say anythin’ ‘cause the food was excellent.

I looked a moment and noticed that Autumn wasn’t eatin’. Nudgin’ her gently in the side, I looked down at her. I was sure that concern was showin’ in my eyes, but I wasn’t gonna stop myself. I was worried. She’d already learned more than most people should in the past day, and I worried that she might still be in shock. When she started to eat, I relented in my stare and went back to my own food. There would be no seconds. Everyone was starvin’ after the escape on the hell planet. We all need food.

“Where’d you learn to cook? I figured most convicts were too stupid to understand the basic skills of life.”

“Actually, the female guard that raised me until I was ten taught me how to cook. As long as I made the guards breakfast, they didn’t try to hurt me. Things aren’t always as they appear, Paris”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, I growled. Who the hell was he, tryin’ to get her to justify what she was doin’? I watched as my girl left the kitchen and stalked out of the room. No one would talk to her like that, ever. No one should ever speak to a woman like that, not one that didn’t deserve it. Autumn hadn’t earned it all. Standin’ up, I grabbed the puff of a man by the throat and drag him to me. Lookin’ in his eyes, I let my shined ones peer at him, the rage and violence my aura promised was palpable.

“You have no right to speak to her like that. She didn’t have to make everyone breakfast, but she chose too. You speak to her again, at all, and I’ll gut you before we get to your planet. I have no problems droppin’ your ass out the airlock.”

I wasn’t even standin’ there with shivs drawn. Just my muscles, and my anger. It was enough, though, ‘cause I could almost hear Paris piss himself. It’s what he got for being a jackass. Zeke and Shazza were both scowlin’ at him too. If I hadn’t said somethin’, they probably would have moved to do so. Slowly I was startin’ to see just where the good came from. These people were tryin’ to protect her without even really thinkin’ about it. We’d already proven we could take care of them and now in a way, they were takin’ care of us.

Shovin’ the man away before I actually lean up and kill him, I move from the room. Out in the great hall, I see my girl curled up on the couch. I wish she didn’t have to feel like this like she didn’t have to justify who she was to people like him. Our lives, those of escaped convicts, we're never gonna be comfortable. Until we could forever remove the bounty from our heads, we were goin’ to have to run an' hide. Few allies to call our own and fewer still that we could actually trust. Too many people wantin’ a piece of the pie so to speak.

I could tell looking at Autumn that she was lost in thought again. I didn’t mind so much when I was around. Scoopin’ her into my arms, I sat on the couch and settled her in my lap. She should always be there if she could. There in my arms, with her head restin’ on my chest. I liked this. My animal started purrin’ softly, tryin' to calm her. I doubted any of the others; even Jack, who chose to sit beside us, could hear it. Autumn and I, we could speak on an almost sub-vocalization that very few people outside of real animals could actually understand.

“Are you, alright child?”

“Paris shouldn’t have said that. He’ll leave you alone until we drop him off.”

“Yeah, quite sure Riddick made him piss himself.”

Lookin’ down at Autumn, I can’t fight the smirk. I was tryin’ to convey to her the feelin’ of what happened. I protected her, would always protect her. I wanted her to know that, to know that she was mine and I would not allow anyone to do anythin’ to hurt or change that. Pullin’ her close, I couldn’t help but wish for somethin’ to do. I didn’t like being cooped up, but we were on a ship, there wasn’t really much we could do about that. Instead, I just started to listen to what everyone else was sayin’.

This was the time for me to figure out who I could trust. The questions and stories would tell me everythin’ I needed to know. The right people would ask the right questions without comin’ across in the wrong way. I didn’t understand it, though. There was still an issue I had with the holy man, and maybe he could prove to tell me more, but perhaps I was right. That was the one thing buggin’ me the most. He knew way too much but claimed it was rumored. Rumors told people that I wasn’t as intelligent as I really was, but we see how that works out. I needed to realize that I could trust him, but right now I was still unsure.

I wasn’t really payin’ attention to the stories. At least not the one by Autumn. I’d heard most of what she wanted to say, and I could feel it too. People forget that animals can smell lies as well as sense them. We know when someone is about to yank our chain. We don’t like it, and we usually fight it as much as we can. All I was plannin’ on doin’ was holdin’ my girl and hopin’ to hear why Jack had stowed away on the Hunter Gratzner. Not that it mattered. She got out of whatever hell that planet had been and her own. We’d take care of her.

For a moment I try to avoid her words but I can’t. She’s spillin’ her heart out to these people, and they better damn well appreciate her for it. Tappin’ her on the shoulder, I watched as she looked up at me. Slippin’ my goggles off so she could see my eyes, I stare. I felt like she needed some form of comfort, and the only thing I could think of was to lean down and kiss her. So I did. Hard and fast, full of lust and love and somethin’ else. She was my other half, my mate, my girl. I wanted her to know that. Jack’s chuckle is enough to make us stop and pull away, and I can’t fight the smirk. I don’t care who knows that she’s mine.

Before anyone really started to share their stories, Zeke asked the one question I was curious about as well. What did happen to the wannabe captain? Fry. Most times, I liked women with a strong survival instinct, but that woman was more trouble than she was worth. I wanted to know, but I was willin’ to wait till Autumn was ready to tell us. The moment the explanation happened though I couldn’t help but tense up when she did. She didn’t want judgment but our life was full of it. Every action scrutinized under the microscope. People would do whatever they could to use it against us and try to send us back to the slam.

I relaxed but only for a moment because right then Jack started speakin’. I could hear Autumn growlin’, and I did my best to hold onto her. Neither one of us really wanted to listen to this information. Nor did we want to realize what she was sayin’. No child should ever have to go through what she went through. Oh, we’d be damned sure that we took care of those fuckers. I would gladly go with Autumn to spill a little blood for this. To keep myself from loosin’ it completely, I leaned down and started to breathe in Autumn’s scent from my mark. It was calmin’ her and me in a way too. We had things to discuss her and I but right now wasn’t the right time.

Apparently my girl needed to get up a moment because she kissed my cheek and climbed out of my arms. I wanted to protest, but I knew she’d be back soon enough. I was right; she just returned with some tea for all of us. It was a thoughtful gesture, and one meant to soothe. After tellin’ her story, thru, Jack left the room. I knew she needed to think about a few things, and she wanted to be alone. I wouldn’t hold it against her, not with everythin’ she’d been through.

Leanin’ back against the couch, my arm wrapped around Autumn’s shoulders, not that she noticed, I listened to the others. I wasn’t really carin’ much for their stories. I already knew I could trust Shazza and Zeke. They’d shown that back on the planet, in their own ways. I didn’t wanna push the issue with them, but when both agreed that we’d be able to hide with them, if we needed it was floored. Honestly. What sense did they have harborin’ two fugitives? Most mercs would quickly kill them and still take us in. Not that it mattered. We couldn’t stop someone from doing what they wanted to do.

Nervousness ticked off of my mate, and I didn’t like it. I wanted to comfort her, but she wasn’t really makin’ it easy. Our time would come. We were goin’ to finish our bondin’ and be able to feel each other better. I wanted to know her intimately, and the thoughts on doin’ so were eatin’ up my mind. It’s all my animal kept pesterin’ me with, but I didn’t really fancy throwing her to the ground and ruttin’ right there. No, my woman needed time, love, and tenderness. All of which I’d give her, for now.

It was Imam’s turn to talk, and I wanted to punch the sanctimonious fucker. Did he not understand that we could sense when he was lyin’? That we couldn’t smell it comin’ from him? Yet he tried to keep up with his pompous words, and it only served to anger us both. Still, I was sittin’ there while the others heard the story that Autumn had told Jack. I knew there was more too it, but now was not the time to push. These things required finesse, and I knew how to do that. So instead, I sat back and just glared at the holy man for demandin’ answers that obviously upset my girl. Why did everyone feel like makin’ her repeat herself over and over for their benefit? Wasn’t once enough? Did they take pleasure in hearin’ about how bad things were in a slam, especially for the children, should there ever be children.

Pullin’ my girl closer I tried to ease the tension from her. I didn’t want her to deal with this. We needed our time, and we needed it soon before both of us exploded from the emotions and tension. I buried my head in her neck and tried to purr to keep her calm. It really wasn’t workin’ all that well, and I couldn’t fight back the words.

“Ain’t ya’ll hear enough. Sittin’ here demandin’ our life stories ain’t gonna change anythin’. We are who we are because we are victims of circumstance. My woman here might want to share with you, but don’t be expectin’ me to tell you a damn thing. Understood?”

I sure as hell wasn’t goin’ to tell this lot my darkest secrets. I had them and only one, maybe two people would know them. Autumn and maybe Jack when she was older. The kid was like the sister I never got to have. Autumn started talkin’ again, and I kept up my soft purrin’. It seemed to help her stay focused to keep her on track. Not that it mattered. If she wanted to stop the story at any time she could, it was her right. I wouldn’t be mad at her for it. Our lives were more alike than anyone, save the two of us, understood. I knew what it was like, the pain of the shine and the woman. The crazy woman that she talked about visitin’ her in her dreams. We’d talk about that later.

When the story was over, I sat there a moment until I realized that she had left the room entirely. The others slowly got up and bid their goodbyes. No one really knew what to say at that point. They’d obviously said somethin’ they shouldn’t have and yet I wasn’t goin’ to get on them. Takin’ my time, I climbed to my feet and headed towards our room. I didn’t wanna corner her, but I needed to see her. Enterin’ our room softly, I padded over to her and wrapped her in my arms. I liked this feelin’, and I could watch her studyin’ me hesitantly.

“‘Bout time you and I had a little chat. I know that I marked you in the corin’ room. Told the world and those fuckin’ creatures just who you belonged too. Didn’t hear ya protestin’ on the ship either when I took a few liberties. I think you promised me a ‘later.’ One thin’ you need to know about me. I won’t leave you. You’ll be stuck with me until we both die. You understand?”

“It’s not like I’m asking for anything different Rick. I want this. I’ve wanted this since before you sought to show me dominance and mark me. Is it love? Hell, if I know, but the animal in me is more than willing to submit to you, as the alpha.”

The moment the words left her mouth, I lost control. My animal side surged into power, and I was almost on autopilot. I knew exactly what it would take to make her happy and to please her. There was no goin’ back now. We were to be together forever. Crashin’ my lips down on hers, I kissed her for all I was worth. It was a kiss of dominance, I was demandin’ that she submit to me, and she did. I felt her yield underneath me, and I was in heaven. The smell of her arousal filled the air, and my animal, both growled and purred. Oh this was goin’ to be so much fun.

Pickin’ her up, I carried her to the bed and sat her down gently. I didn’t wait and let her try to think about this as I stripped her of my shirt before she could blink. I made my goggled eyes take her in, and she blushed and tried to cover herself up. The growl was one that spoke of her, not movin’. She was beautiful, and I needed her to know that. I’d get her to believe it soon enough. I wasn’t goin’ to have my girl ashamed. I knew she was a virgin. I could smell it in the air, but why embarrass her with it. Instead, I just growled and trapped her hands up against the headboard with one of mine.

Usin’ my free hand, I wrapped her hair up in it and pulled her close for a kiss. I was enjoying this. I could feel her body changin’, heatin’ up, and I loved it. Her moans were like music to my ears. Movin’ away from the delectable mouth, I started to trail kisses across her skin. I was ghostin’ across it with my breath too tryin’ to raise goosebumps. I liked that effect on her. I gently pulled her shorts off her body with one hand, knowin’ she wasn't’ wearin’ anything underneath. I saw her frown, and I wanted to kiss it away, but I didn’t. I knew what it was from. I was skilled at this, and she wasn’t, but I didn’t want any other women, just her, forever.

At this time, I let her go and let both hands and my lips trail across her skin. I loved how I was makin’ her feel. I had to prepare her, but I didn’t mind doin’ that part. I let my fingers work their magic as I slowly slid first one and then two fingers inside of her, stretching her and making her moan more. My animal was gettin’ restless. We needed to finish this, and now, we could play later, take our time then. For now, I was doin’ everythin’ I could not make it animalistic and rough. I wanted to get her off at least once before the real fun began, and to do so, I quickly replaced my fingers with my tongue. It didn’t take much before I felt her shudder and moan out in pleasure.

My name fell from her lips, and I couldn’t help but smirk. She was sayin’ it like it was a prayer, and that was a first. Movin’ away a moment, I quickly stripped myself and went back to join her on the bed. I could feel her eyes on me and knew that she was scared. I was big, and I was probably the first male she’d actually seen naked. Then her mood changed, and she almost let out a little bit of drool. That alone was enough to stroke my ego, not that it needed any help in the sex department. Givin’ my girl a known’ smile, I sent her what I hoped was a look of love. Pressin’ our lips together again, I was tryin’ to convey as much as I could.

“Are you sure about this? Tell me now because I don’t think if we keep goin’, I’ll be able to stop.”

“Richard.. We need this. You and I. I don’t mind a little pain, just promise me you won’t stop no matter. what?”

Her callin’ me Richard was almost enough to undo me right there. No one called me that but her. I wouldn’t allow it. I had to say I love the way my real name sounds comin’ off her lips. The words, though, they finally set my animal in final orbit. I was no longer in any semblance of control as I slammed into her in one stroke, pushin’ all the way through and breakin’ her virgin barrier. She’d be sore tomorrow, but I hoped she’d feel it would be worth it. I stilled a moment, tryin’ to give her time to adjust. She didn’t need long as she leaned up to kiss me and I started movin’ of my own accord.

I was tryin’ not to set a gruelin’ pace, but the feel of her tightly sheathed around me was almost enough to make me come undone as well. She was so tight and warm. She was growlin’ and moanin’, and all I could do was slam into her harder and faster. Our animals battled for dominance, but I won. I could feel her comin’ to the edge and knew it was time. Leanin’ down, I bit her again, in my mark, claiming her in blood and body. It was enough to seal it. She would be mine forever, and I would be hers. No one would be allowed to touch her, without havin’ to deal with me. My smell would forever intermingle with hers. She bit me, but it didn’t draw blood. She didn’t need to mark me for this to be true.

The feeling of her teeth on me was enough for both of us to give out. We both came so hard that we saw stars. I was able to regain myself quicker than she was. Lookin’ down, I could see she was spent, and I wouldn’t begrudge her sleep. She hadn’t done much of that, if ever in the slam, and the last few days had been hell on us both. I rolled to the side and pulled her into my body, allowin’ her to rest her head on my chest. My animal was content and purrin’, and for the first time in a long while, it was truly sated. She was my mate, our mate and we would never let this go.

"I.. feel whole for the first time in.. well forever."

"I know baby. Our animals wouldn't be calm until we were bound completely. Now the world will know you're mine and I'm yours and, baby, I keep what's mine. Rest now. We can talk later."

I watched her bleary sleepy eyes glaze at the clock, but I wasn’t goin’ to tell her how long we’d been goin’ at it. She didn’t need to know yet. I’d save that for a surprise for later. Kissin the top of her head, I let her snuggle into me. I wasn’t plannin’ on leavin’ unless there was an emergency with the ship. There hadn’t been in the last four hours, not since I closed our bedroom door, I doubted there would be now. Still, I wasn’t ready to sleep yet, so I just laid there, pulled the sheets around us and watched my girl as she drifted off into a peaceful sated slumber.


	12. Arrivals

I would be lying if I said that night didn’t change everything. For the first time in my life, my animal was sated and calm. She didn’t demand blood, didn’t ask to get her fill by hurting mercenaries or other such people. No. She was happy, and that was enough, I supposed, for now. I hadn’t ever gotten used to being on a ship this long. Not that there was much time to practice in the slam. It would only be a matter of time before I grew restless, this I knew. One could only stay on a ship for so long without touching down on a planet and not go insane.

With a sigh, I knew that we needed to land this bird and get Paris off the ship. He was bringing everyone down, and I swore to myself that I wouldn’t let anyone get in our way. Especially not someone that was egotistical and deluded like this man was. He still seemed to believe the hype that was Johns and even thought that we would kill him in his sleep. As long as he was afraid of us, then there was less of a chance of him betraying us... until we’d left his planet. That much I did know.

Slipping from the warmth of the bed I shared with Riddick, I pulled on a pair of dark black cargo pants, threw on a bra and a black tank top, and forwent shoes. Padding through the cold metal of the ship, I listened to see who was awake. I could hear voices coming from the living quarters. By the sounds of it, it was most everyone but Paris. Riddick’s voice carried the loudest, Jack’s laughter came next. I could hear Shazza and Zeke trying to scold the convict for something he said, but he wouldn’t have any of it. Imam was laughing too, but it sounded reserved, almost as if he was afraid to laugh at whatever it was.

Slowly, I walked into the room, and everyone turned to look at me. It was the first time in twenty-five years that I’d actually seen people smile at me as if they were welcoming me to join them. The hand that was held out, that was the thing I shouldn’t have expected. Quickly I moved over and took Rick’s hand and let him pull me to his side. I look around at everyone, feeling a bit out of place since they were all awake and I just stumbled into their talk.

“I seem to have missed a few things.” I say softly as I look around. For a moment, I saw hurt flash in Jack’s eyes before she ran over and hugged me close. The girl was like my baby sister now; there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her. I knew they didn’t mean to disclude me, but it still happened. I had been asleep though, which was strange because I usually knew the moment that Rick left our bed.

“You looked exhausted, and I wouldn’t let them wake you. If you wanna be mad, take it out on me, baby.”

I heard his voice carry to me and I couldn’t fight the smile. He would always put my needs before his own, a sure sign that he cared about someone other than himself. Not that there was any doubt. Ever since we’d gotten off that hellish planet, Rick had been doing things to protect Jack and me. The others, too, if they wanted to stop and think about it. For someone who was supposed to be a big bad convict, capable of murdering people without remorse, his actions lately would change a lot of minds.

“Aww don’t get upset, Autumn. Riddick was just telling us a few stories about Johns and a few other merc’s he’d manage to escape from. Apparently, most of them were rather stupid.”

“They’d have to be to come after Big Evil over there.”

I said with a thumb jabbed into Riddick’s stomach. Anyone that tried to come after him was stupid. They knew what they were getting into and yet tried to use force to get what they wanted. A part of me wondered if we ever came across a merc that actually just wanted to talk to us and convince us to go in, would we still kill them. I doubted any mercenary would be like that, most only cared about nabbing the big payday anyway they could. If people died so be it.

It was clear that by the time I entered the room, most of the stories were over. I noticed a tray of food sitting out on the living room coffee table and smiled. Someone had cooked and put together some sandwiches and fruit it looked like. This was the first time in as long as I could remember that I actually ate healthier. Food in a slam wasn’t all that good. They usually only fed you enough to keep you alive, because in essence the longer you lived, the more money they made.

Moving from Rick’s arms, I went and had a seat on the couch and started to nibble at the food. As I was eating, I watched the others come and take place around me. We needed to figure out what we were going to do once we dropped Paris off. We had two options because both were within the same system. We could drop off Zeke and Shazza or go and try to get Jack’s things from the planet she was from. Either way, we needed to make up our minds and quick before anyone else got a better idea.

As I was eating, I watched the others talk and, for a moment, I wondered if it was natural for me to zone out as much as I did. Something was on my mind, there was no denying that. It was clear that I was worried about something, but how do I tell the others? How do I explain that I don’t want to be left alone, that I’m afraid that when we reach our final destination, I will end up all alone? Maybe it’s just my brain trying to play tricks on me because a part of me wondered if Riddick would actually let me go.

Before I could stay in my head too much, a hand gripped my chin and turned my face to look into his eyes. Looking up, I saw Riddick looking down at me. I knew at that moment that he knew what I was thinking and feeling. Our bond would let us sense each other's emotions from time to time. At least that’s what he had said. Being that he was the alpha, he was the one in control I had assumed that it was more robust for him. Not that I didn’t believe him. He had yet to prove to me that he couldn’t be trusted.

“I don’t know what you’re thinkin’ but stop it. I ain’t leavin’ you or the kid. We’re pack, family. When we get to Helion Prime, we will just need to figure out our next destination. Stop worryin’ sugar and let me handle it.”

I wanted to kiss him, and I did. Around Rick, I didn’t see the point in holding back. Why? He knew how I felt, to begin with, my animal calling to his animal on a level that I had yet to understand. I looked up at the time, the dial telling us we had about two hours until we hit the spaceport for Paris’ planet. Two hours to kill until I would be needed, or someone else, to get us through the port security and landed. Rick couldn’t do it, not with his voice, one that could be easily recognized. We didn’t need a whole unit of marines or mercs swarming the place. I understood what he was trying to tell me, but we were going to be on this ship for a lot longer than anyone realized. The universe was vast, and I was starting to realize that I much preferred a star jumper like this one to the ships that require cryo sleep.

When the food that I had in my hand was done, I turned to look at the others. They were doing their own thing but also spending time in each other’s presence. It was strange. We were a sort of family without being related by blood. This was the only room with a vid library, and we had no choice but to turn it on if we wanted to watch something. Looking at Jack, I motioned for her to choose a movie, and she did. What we were planning on watching was entirely up to the whims of a twelve-year-old girl. This could get interesting.

When the lights dimmed, and the movie started, I thought about things for a moment. This would be the first time I had ever seen a movie. So many things that were normal to her, maybe even Rick, would be the first time for me. I watched as the vidscreen in front of us, blossomed to life, and images started to fill it. Whatever this was that she had chosen, I could tell I would already like. The preview seemed to suggest it was some kind of superhuman thriller but only time would really understand me.

Maybe it’s that I’ve never had the chance to do this, but the moment the movie starts, I’m drawn into it. I could feel Jack curl up at my side as if I would be a buffer for her. Rick was to my left, and I know, if I needed to, I could lean against him for support. I didn’t need it, though. The vid was really more cheesy than anything. Not even scary in the least bit. So much for getting scared. Oh well, that was the way life went. It was one of those movies that sort of wasted time until what you were waiting for was ready.

Sirens alerted us that we were approaching the spaceport. Just in time, too, as the last of the credits rolled across the screen. Standing up, I stretched to work out some of the kinks in my muscles. Hearing the cracking and popping of joints, I frowned but moved towards the cockpit. In the pilot's chair, Riddick was waiting for me. He had removed the ship from the autopilot and was waiting for me to take the com. I saw the blinking light that was asking us to allow them to send a message. It was just lucky that we had pulled up a shipping manifest earlier that had mentioned the name of the star jumper.

“Lupus Four spaceport, this is the Phoenix requesting permission to dock.”

“Phoenix this is LF Spaceport. Docking request under advisement. Do you have any passengers or cargo?”

“Passengers yes, one ready for departure here on his planet but no cargo.”

“Docking permission granted. Port 342, Bay 19.Anything else you need?”

“Some fuel and supplies would be nice. We’ve traveled quite a long way.”

“Alright Phoenix, we’ll have a crew waiting for you when you land. Over.”

As the controller ended our conversation, I looked over at my mate. He seemed contemplative, but I didn’t mind. I knew that on some level, it was hard for him to relegate the way I talked and acted with someone that grew up in the slam. It would eventually sink in, but it was more than that. He seemed to be trying to understand something. Frequently when someone sees a convict, they don’t ask questions; they just run and get the nearest cop or mercenary they can find. My voice isn't on any of the databases, and this ship was worth a whole lot of cred. Between the two of those, it makes people more inclined to help.

Laying a hand on his shoulder, I turned and looked at him. I won’t distract him from landing, not when we don’t want to crash. I’ve had all the crash landings I could take for a lifetime. There was a poetry in the way he landed the ship, the way he flew. I knew that there were secrets in his past, things that would add up if he ever told me. An ordinary convict didn’t learn to pilot a ship like this, didn’t learn to be this good at understanding the mechanics of it all. No, there was more to his story than he was letting on and eventually, he would tell me.

When the ship was landed, we parked it and moved from the cockpit. I would go greet the people that would refuel us and give the others an idea of how long it might take. On my way to the door, I was nearly plowed over by Paris, who was in too big of a hurry to even apologize. Grabbing the wall to keep myself upright, I heard the growl from behind me. I wasn’t even going to say anything, it wasn’t worth it. He would be out of our hair soon enough. When the hatch was down, I watched the sniveling man run as fast away as he could from the ship. Standing just outside the doors were men in what appeared to be mechanics uniforms.

“The ship is getting gassed up now ma’am. We have your supplies right here. We just need someone to sign for it.”

“I’ll do it.”

Walking closer, I watched as they hand me the paper and Zeke came to get the crate of supplies. They understood, on some level, our fear of letting strangers aboard. We didn’t need people poking their noses around and asking questions. More than that, we didn’t need mercs hidden behind uniforms of everyday workers. Still, there wasn’t much of an issue. The money we were using to pay for this wasn’t ours, and it wasn’t like Antonia needed it anymore. Signing a name to the bottom of the sheet, not even really caring if they had her signature on file before, I noticed the price and dug through the bag of money that was by the door. Why it was there, I really had no idea, but now was not the time to question it.

Handing back the sheet and the right amount of credit chips, I watched as Zeke wheeled the cart off and handed it back to the techs. That was it, we were done. Just a few more minutes in fueling, and we’d be ready to leave this place. I watched for a moment as the men just turned away. They didn’t in the least bit seem suspicious or anything. Hitting the control that raised the hatch, I waited for the sign that it was locked and secure before leaving. Two problems dealt with and now to sort out another. As I was moving through, I watched Zeke, Jack, and Shazza going through the supplies. We would have enough food to last us another month if we stayed in space. It hopefully wouldn’t take us that long to get to our next destination.

Turning back to the cockpit, I smiled. Riddick was in the pilot's seat again, waiting for the queue that we were clear to leave. We needed to verify our departure with them. I watched, in awe a moment, as the tanker left when the fuel gauge was filled. The whole process had taken no more than fifteen, twenty minutes at most. So many things I’d learned, and so many more to deal with. With the signal that we were free of the tanker, I hit the com again to talk to the port.

“LF port this is Phoenix requesting departure clearance. Flight plan data has already been transmitted.”

“Phoenix this is LF Port. You are clear for departure. Hit runway 12 in about five minutes, and you will be clear to leave the zone.”

“Runway 12 in five, got it.”

We moved from the docking bay and headed out towards the runways. They were all neatly lined up and clearly numbered for us. As we headed towards runway 12, I watched the other ships in the area. We were being led in circles until it was our turn, and no ship went off the runway at the same time as another. The staggered take-offs seemed to make it easy enough to not hit someone. As we approached our lane, I waited. The others were strapping themselves into their crash webbing as the ship took skyward. Soon enough, we were back out in the open vastness of space, and the stars shot past us.

“So our next stop, the two systems are within a day of each other. So do we drop Zeke and Shazza off first or go to Taurus 1 for a bit of revenge and Jack’s things.”

“They want to go help, Jack.”

My head jerked from Riddick to Shazza and Zeke. I smiled at them and got a smile in return. There was no room for doubt. We were going to go get Jack’s things and find a way to make up for what she went through. We couldn’t just call the police, too many of us were wanted, and there was no way to keep Zeke, Shazza, Imam and his children safe. I knew that they would be staying on the ship while the rest of us went out into the town. With a nod, I turned my head back to the window that showed the stars. We could unbuckle ourselves now, and we did. Each of us moving back into a place where we could talk about strategy.

“If you don’t mind. I think the boys and I will stay on the ship. Plausible deniability and all that. We will pray that whatever course of action you need to take is expedient and prudent”

“Ain’t exactly expectin’ ya’ to go out there with us holy man. Just keep thin’s locked up tight here till we return.”

“That I can do. If you will excuse me, I think we will go find something to do while you plan.”

The conversation was quick, and a part of me was curious about why they didn’t ask more questions. I did care, to a point. What we would probably do would get more than enough people in trouble, and while I knew that Shazza’s ties with her father might get her out of a situation or two, I couldn’t speak to how far it would actually go to protect her. Yet they were determined to see this through with us, and I could only hope that it meant that they both had formed some sort of attachment to the child. I knew that Jack was like my sister and, if she would allow it, we’d take her with us. Rick already told me he had no intention of leaving me behind when he left so why would we leave Jack?

Moving from the cockpit back into the living room, I took a seat on the couch and leaned against the right side. It was clear from my body language that something was going on. I felt left out almost as if everyone was planning things around me. I knew that wasn’t their intention, but I had been sleeping a lot more lately. While it was true that in the slam, you don’t get much sleep, I felt safe here, and perhaps that was why I was sleeping so much. I did have to say that I looked much more refreshed in the mirror now than I ever had. Rick, he didn’t want to wake me up when I was sleeping.

Leaning with my head on the arm of the seat, I watched the others file in. Jack sat in the chair to my right, and Rick scooped me up in his arms and sat back against the couch. Even now, I could tell he was trying to make me feel better, whatever it was that was bothering me. The heat that came from him was soothing and warm, something that called to my inner animal. She was just as confused as I was by this whole thing. We wouldn’t fight, though, couldn’t. The choices were already made.

“Jack, we need you to give us some information about Taurus 1. When we dock, how far away is the orphanage where you were staying? Who’s in charge? What kind of security are we talking about in a place like this? That sort of thing.”

I could see her mind spinning as if trying to process what I was saying. No, she wasn’t going to actually come with us, because I wouldn’t let them get their hands on her. Nothing was stopping me from claiming that she was family. From what I gathered, this place didn’t really check papers or anything of that sort. Maybe we could do this without anyone getting hurt. Though I doubted it. One look at the big guy and they probably would piss themselves to give us what we wanted.

“The town isn’t all that big. The house I grew up in that should still be there if my father hadn’t sold. It is about four blocks from the spaceport. It’s two-story. My room is the upstairs, attic room. I have no idea if any of my stuff is still there or not.”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out. We get your things from the house, hop over to the planet with the prison. Convince them you are related to me and get your things from there, with a few veiled threats, of course.”

“Veiled? I’ll make them understand just who they are fuckin’ with if they ever send someone after her. No one messes with family.”

I can’t help it. A laugh bubbles up from me at the adamant nature of Riddick. He was more than sure that we’d be hurting someone. It wasn’t the people on Taurus 1 that I wanted to cut. No. It was the others on Taurus 4. Those were the ones that I was going to enjoy killing with every last bit of my breath. They had no idea what was coming. The pain was going to be fun to inflict, and for once it was going to be on someone outside the walls of Butcher Bay, someone that didn’t see it coming.

Maybe it was just the randomness of the thought or perhaps I really was smarter than I thought, but I suddenly stood up and headed into the office I’d seen in the shop. Grabbing a few items off the desk, I headed back into the living room. Setting down the paper and the various pens and pencils, I looked at Jack with a smile. Maybe she would understand. A map was what we needed, but I had a feeling that it wouldn’t matter much. Rick always seemed to know his way around places, and we still had a few days to sort it all out. Taurus 1 was a reasonably distant journey away from this past stop. We’d not be out in space for more than three weeks, but it still felt like a long journey.

“Jack. Do you think you could draw us two maps? The first of the area by the spaceport and your parent's house. Don’t leave anything out. If there’s a guard station or a lone mercenary patrol, document it to the best of your ability. The other map should be of the establishment on Taurus 4, the one they forced you to stay in. Give us the layout so that we can figure out a strategy. You don’t have to stay here, during this, if you don’t want to.”

For a moment the room was silent, and I couldn’t help but look around. There were pride and admiration in Riddick’s eyes and a smidge of lust, but that was always there. Shazza and Zeke seemed shocked, almost as if they felt they should have thought about it first. Jack looked scared, but I knew she’d come through in the end. If we were going to get her things, we needed to understand the layouts. I refused to let anyone of us go in blind and get in a situation that we couldn’t get ourselves out of. I would not lose anyone else.

Sitting down, I waited. What else could I do? We needed the information in her head, but we didn’t need her to tell us. Jack was one of the few people I actually wanted to keep safe regardless of how the world saw it. She was that little sister of mine, and I wanted to make sure she was looked after. The first map was done rather quickly. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it got the point across. We could get the rough idea of where we would be going upon our arrival.

Picking up the first piece of paper, all I could do was study it; at first. I was trying to memorize the plan, but the drawing needed some work. With the pencil in hand, I started to sketch a few things out myself. Of course, I knew that Rick had a plan, he always had an idea. There hadn’t been a time in either situation that we were in where his mind hadn’t been working out some way to get us out of a situation. He was like that, always thinking, always plotting.

Happy with the results of the changes to the paper, I set it down on the table and moved it closer to the others. I wanted them to see what they were about to get into. At least, through my eyes. As I moved the paper, I heard Rick hum in approval, and it made me smile. I was actually happy that I was seen as having more than just a body. Before I could say anything, though, I watched Jack get up and head out of the room. A part of me wished she could stay here for this, but she didn’t need to know. No one did, except those that were staying here. Jack might not be the most innocent of the children, but she didn’t need to be a part of a murder. Not right now.

Closing my eyes, I tried to steady myself by taking a deep breath. I felt a hand start to trace a pattern on my lower back, easing my muscles into relaxing. I was grateful, and my breath came out in a calming rush. Cocking my head to the side, I stared at the man that was my mate with a small smile. I could see him smile down on me, almost forgetting that we had an audience. Our gazes locked, and we seemed frozen that way for quite some time. At least until a cough broke us apart.

“Alright, so here’s what I’ve done. The layout of this planet seems to be laid out, much like the bowels of Butcher Bay. Or am I seeing things, Rick?”

“You’re right.”

“With that being said, I think I know what the best route and path to take are. From the moment we land, we will be on a time crunch. I want all of this done and us back on the ship within the hour. Please don’t make us have to come after you. We cannot lose anyone else on this trip.”

“Calm down, baby. Nothin’ goin’ to happen if I can help it. This place is just like the Bay, and we escaped that with ease. Just relax.”

I could hear the last part of the word being whispered into my ear. It was as if he could read every thought and emotion that came from me. Probably could since fear and anxiety shifted the scent of the air and made someone with a sensitive nose like Rick pick up on it. I also knew that he could feel me tense underneath his arms. So many things about me he could pick up on, not that I minded. It was beautiful, for once, to have someone look after me.

I was sure that our plan was solid and, once the others could recite their parts without hesitation, I knew we could do this. Rick and I would probably be the only ones going in armed to the teeth, and I liked it that way. Shazza and Zeke didn’t need to get arrested for being killers or for having weapons. Not that anyone would look twice at them. Glancing at the chrono on the wall, I noticed that it was well past evening. We needed to get some rest for now because in three days we would be where we needed to.

With a yawn, I stood up and stretched and moved from the room. This ship was starting to grow on me, and I’d be sad to see it go. I knew, in the end, we couldn’t keep it forever. A part of me wondered what our next steps would be. Riddick and I would always be running from mercs, and that would never change. At least probably not until we were actually dead and gone. Not that I expected us to die anytime soon. Freedom was a foolish notion, even for people that weren’t convicts. No one was ever truly free. There was always someone higher up calling the shots after all.

Heading to bed, I didn’t even remember hitting the pillows before I was out. So much had gone on in the last few days that my world seemed to be confused. I was trying so very hard to adjust, but really there was no way to do that but to just jump right in. There was a whole vast world outside the prison walls of Butcher Bay, and my body was tired trying to adapt. I knew that. What I also knew was that I seemed to be sleeping more than before, and maybe I just needed the rest, or maybe there was something else too. Regardless of what it was, I was out for the night. Tomorrow would be a new day.

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I don’t know what woke me early. Could have been my internal clock tellin’ me to get up before the others, or it could have been merely the fact that I was actually rested. Whatever it was, I had gotten up quite early and headed out into the ship. Autumn was still asleep from where she had been beside me, and a part of me wanted to crawl back under the covers with her. Lookin’ down at her with love, I leaned over and kissed her forehead. We were bonded now, I could feel her emotions swirlin’ through me, and I knew that long we were around each other the more of mine she’d feel.

Outside the room, I made sure to walk as quietly as possible. Wakin’ her up wasn’t anythin’ I wanted to do. She looked as if she hadn’t slept in days and probably hadn’t. Most slams didn’t afford people the luxury of safe deep sleep. You learned how to always be on guard, how to hear when others were comin’ around. I just wanted her to get some sleep. She deserved that chance, to really sleep and know what it was to be at rest.

I wasn’t up long before the other’s started pilin’ into the living quarters. I was startin’ to feel like I could be myself around this group, and it wasn’t a feelin’ I was used too. I knew that Jack wouldn’t mind much of anythin’, but the adults, they were the ones that Autumn and I had to be wary of. They could turn on us at any given moment, and I was just waitin’ for that to happen. Still, I couldn’t resist the playful edge that crept up inside of me as I watched the others join me.

It didn’t take long for Jack, Zeke, and I to start wrestlin’ around. I was teachin’ them both a few things. I wouldn’t hurt them, not too much, at least. No one ever learned without a little pain, and if, in the end, they were better for it, then so be it. I knew my offer wouldn’t be accepted by the holy man or his children. They weren’t anti-violence, and even after everythin’ they’d been through on the planet, I couldn't blame them. It didn’t mean I would follow suit. It was durin’ the wrestlin’ match that I said somethin’ I probably shouldn’t, and I could hear Shazza scold me, but even that wasn’t enough to take the smile off my face. I could hear Imam laughin’ at the situation, tryin’ not too but failin’.

I heard footsteps approach and smelled the scent that was my mate. I would never get enough of that smell. I watched the others out of the corner of my eyes and saw the smiles they held for her. One look at Autumn, and I knew she felt awkward. People didn’t often smile at convicts, and it took some getting used too. Holdin’ out my hand. I waited. She’d either accept it or she wouldn’t. When she places hers in mine, I pulled her to my side. She belonged there, beside me, always.

“I seem to have missed a few things.”

“You looked exhausted, and I wouldn’t let them wake you. If you wanna be mad, take it out on me, baby.”

I could sense her unease. Scenting the air, I could almost feel the nervousness on my lips. We weren’t goin’ behind her back, but I understood her feelings. She felt like we were tryin’ to leave her out, and that wasn’t the case. I didn’t want to wake her up. I wanted her to sleep. I had no idea how long it had been since she’d last had a decent night's rest. I wanted her to calm, but I couldn’t force the issue. Instead, I just kissed the top of her head and waited.

“Aww don’t get upset Autumn. Riddick was just telling us a few stories about Johns and a few other merc’s he’d manage to escape from. Apparently, most of them were rather stupid.”

“They’d have to be to come after Big Evil over there.”

I heard her voice and the nickname and laughed. Yeah, I’d been called Big Evil a lot. Most people didn’t quite understand what it meant, though. I wasn’t all that evil. So I killed people, the first ones I ever killed that weren’t sanctioned by the government had been mercs tryin’ to come after me and send me to the slam. If anyone bothered to look into my supposed list of kills, they were all mercs. When Autumn moved from my arms, I frowned a moment before I watched her go eat the food. She needed to eat. The slam had kept her lean, but they didn’t feed people very well. You had enough food to live but not really enough to be anythin’ but skin and bones.

The mood in the air shifted again, and I couldn’t help but sigh. She needed to get over whatever it was that was holdin’ her back. My mate was more durable than this. She wasn’t some helpless little victim, and I don’t know why she kept feelin’ the way she did. I could feel panic set in, almost as if she was afraid she’d be abandoned now that we were out of the danger. I couldn’t help it, the words slipped out before I really thought much about them. She needed to understand her place, indeed.

“I don’t know what you’re thinkin’ but stop it. I ain’t leavin’ you or the kid. We’re pack, family. When we get to Helion Prime, we will just need to figure out our next destination. Stop worryin’ sugar and let me handle it.”

When she kissed me, I purred. My animal was more than happy for that even if the others were watchin’ us. I didn’t care. She was mine, and if I wanted to make out with her in the middle of a crowded shoppin’ district, I would. No one could stop us, not that I’d let them try anyways. I could feel the animal inside of her, submittin’ to mine once again. Eventually, she’d come to understand what it meant to be Furyan. To touch the animal brimmin’ at the surface, to give in to baser desires. She was my other half and the quicker she realized it, the better off we’d both end up bein’.

Glancin’ at the chrono that hung from the wall in the lounge I saw that we had two hours still till we could drop off the weasel that was Paris. I’d be glad to see him go. Not much right now was stoppin’ me from killin’ him. Aside from the mess, it’d be trying to clean up. This was a lovely ship, would fetch us a pretty penny when we wanted to sell it. The less blood we had to try to scrub out of it, the better, honestly. I wanted to kill him though, for everythin’ he’d put all of us through but I couldn’t. Nope, not yet. Instead, I watched Autumn as she and Jack started to watch a movie. She seemed enthralled at the idea that there were vids out there that had stories on them.

A part of me forgot that she grew up in a slam. I, at least, had the luxury of knowin’ what life was like outside the prisons. She’d never seen the world outside the walls. Thin’s like a vid library was only something she’d heard of but never seen. Not wantin’ to interrupt the girls and their movie time, I left the room. I didn’t wanna interrupt them. I’d probably already seen it anyway. Jackie girl seemed quite taken with it, but I could feel a bit of disbelief comin’ from my mate. Scary movies weren’t quite so frightening when you spent your life livin’ through things far worse. So I wasn’t all that surprised when she wasn’t scared.

Leavin’ them alone, I moved through the rest of the ship. The place was pretty much spotless, but we would need supplies in the next town. The Phoenix, as I had found she was called, had space but hadn’t been used in a while. Her stores of food were gettin’ low, and without restockin’, we’d be dead in the water, literally. We didn’t need to be floatin’ out in space waitin’ for more mercs to pick us up. Instead, I started makin’ a list of things we’d need supply wise, so I could let the spaceport know. The sooner they had our info, the better.

Sirens alerted me to the fact that we were approachin’ our target. Movin’ the list to the send-off manifest, I waited for Autumn to join me in the cockpit. She was the only one who’s voice probably wouldn’t set up off alarms. We couldn’t land in autopilot, so I turned on the manual controls and waited. Soon enough, I was joined by my love and pointed to the com. The blinkin’ light should have been enough of an indicator. Sittin’ there with my goggles on so that the full light in the area could be seen, I heard the other’s strappin’ in.

“Lupus Four spaceport, this is the Phoenix requesting permission to dock.”

“Phoenix this is LF Spaceport. Docking request under advisement. Do you have any passengers or cargo?”

“Passengers yes, one ready for departure here on his planet but no cargo.”

“Docking permission granted. Port 342, bay 19.Anything else you need?”

“Some fuel and supplies would be nice. We’ve traveled quite a long way.”

“Alright Phoenix, we’ll have a crew waiting for you when you land. Over.”

As I heard the same sort of nonsense that all the ports give, a part of me wondered somethin’. How long was it goin’ to be before even Autumn’s voice became a sign that she was wanted? Right now, she was our savin’ grace. It was her voice that wouldn’t pull up in any database, regardless of her escape. Most convicts had at least their name in the voice recognition system, gotta talk at some point durin’ the capture. Yet, she seemed to be able to get us through Scott free. I wasn’t complainin’ at the moment, just worried it might actually stop workin’.

I felt her hand on my shoulder, and I tried not to lose my focus. I could pilot most ships without even blinkin’, so this one was a piece of cake. Still, I didn’t want to take any attention away from what I was doin’. There was no tellin’ what I was about to pilot into. In the two hours that Autumn had been occupied watchin’ a movie, I’d found the docs on the ship and knew what type it was. I’d also found the credits that we’d need to make it the rest of the journey. At least now, we didn’t have to worry about breakin’ into our own stashes. Not that Autumn had much. When we landed, I simply waited. If I moved around the ship, there was a chance that someone could see me and report us. No one that came aboard was allowed in the cockpit, that much I was sure about.

Turnin’ in my seat though I watched Autumn movin’ from the room in time to be hit by Paris in his haste. Lettin’ out a growl, I know they both heard it, and only Paris jumped. He couldn’t wait to get off the ship, and I couldn’t wait for him to be gone. The fool needed to be out of our hair quicker than yesterday. I could hear the voices of the techs that were bringin’ aboard our supplies and the exchange of coin. We would be long gone before anyone found that Antonia was dead and that this wasn’t her ship anymore. By that time, the Phoenix would probably already be sold.

Spinnin’ my chair around, I studied the instrument panel as I waited. Time was the only enemy right now. If we didn’t make it off this planet before someone saw us, it was all over. This stop would be our shortest, it only took us about twenty minutes total to get everythin’ done. For that, I was grateful. I wanted to go, the stars in front of me so we could put Paris behind us. That was the life we were demandin’, and we needed to get goin’.

“LF port this is Phoenix requesting departure clearance. Flight plan data has already been transmitted.”

“Phoenix this is LF Port. You are clear for departure. Hit runway 12 in about five minutes, and you will be clear to leave the zone.”

“Runway 12 in five, got it.”

With the right time, I moved our ship out into the take-off lane and waited. They had a specific system that was workin’, and I wasn’t goin’ to fight it. It was workin’, after all, to prevent people from crashin’ into each other. When it was our turn to go, I went. We were up in the stars faster than most people would have thought, but I was happy enough with speed. The thin’ I liked about this type of ship was the fact that there was no cryo sleep. No need to pump ineffective drugs through our systems. When we were far enough out that the auto-pilot could take over, I toggled the thin’ on and turned in my chair.

“So our next stop, the two systems are within a day of each other. So do we drop Zeke and Shazza off first or go to Taurus 1 for a bit of revenge and Jack’s things.” ** **  
****

“They want to go help, Jack.”

I knew this conversation would come up sooner or later. Both destinations were within days of each other, but the free settlers had decided they wanted to help take care of the girl. Jackie had somehow managed to worm her way into the hearts of everyone on board. I knew Autumn had too, but she couldn’t see it. Not the way I did. We were becomin’ a team, strangely enough, and the others recognized it. Though they would never openly admit it. I took the time watchin’ the others. I could see something brewin’ in the Imam’s head, but I wasn’t a mind reader. He wouldn’t betray us, yet, if at all. That didn’t make me less wary of him. Somethin’ wasn’t quite addin’ up about him but time would tell us what.

“If you don’t mind. I think the boys and I will stay on the ship. Plausible deniability and all that. We will pray that whatever course of action you need to take is expedient and prudent”

“Ain’t exactly expectin’ ya’ to go out there with us holy man. Just keep thin’s locked up tight here till we return.”

“That I can do. If you will excuse me, I think we will go find something to do while you plan.”

I want to glare at the man. He didn’t need to speak out loud for the others to understand the holy man wasn’t comin’ to the party. It was hard not to growl. I wanted to shake the man, and yet I didn’t. I watched the man walk away and felt myself relax only slightly. We needed a plan, we had three days before we would be to Taurus 1, the planet that Jack was born on. In those three days, we needed to make sure we had all our options out there. There was no room for mistakes. Mistakes got you killed, and we’d spent too much time survivn’ already.

I followed Autumn out of the cockpit and into the lounge area. We seemed to spend a lot of time here. Not like there was anywhere else to be on the ship. I saw the way she was sittin’, and I couldn’t help it. Scoopin’ my mate in my arms, I sat down on the couch and pulled her down with me. She was safely locked in my grasp. Somethin’ was still botherin’ her, but now was not the time to talk about it. We’d have a good while to discuss these thin’s. Our focus right now as on Jack and gettin’ as much information as we could outta her. Before I could say anythin’, Autumn spoke again.

“Jack, we need you to give us some information about Taurus 1. When we dock, how far away is the orphanage where you were staying? Who’s in charge? What kind of security are we talking about in a place like this? That sort of thing.”

They were all excellent questions and ones we need answers too but would she be able to tell us. I understood the importance of it all, the need to know what we were up against, but sometimes you just had to go in and hope for the best. Traumatizin’ Jack again wasn’t going to get us the answers we needed. Still, the girl had shown us that she was strong, that she could handle things. I sent a smile at Jack and let her know without words that we needed this, but if she couldn’t talk about it now, we could do it another time.

“The town isn’t all that big. The house I grew up in that should still be there if my father hadn’t sold it is about four blocks from the spaceport. It’s two-story. My room is the upstairs, attic room. I have no idea if any of my stuff is still there or not.”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out. We get your things from the house, hop over to the planet with the orphanage. Convince them you are related to me and get your things from there, with a few veiled threats, of course.”

“Veiled? I’ll make them understand just who they are fuckin’ with if they ever send someone after her. No one messes with family.”

I growl at the thought of Autumn saying I would give someone a veiled threat. I don’t hide. They know what’s comin’ their way, and if they chose to ignore it well then, that’s their problem. I wouldn’t stand there and let anyone hurt her. Anyone even thinks about comin’ after Jackie girl or Autumn, and they will find themselves at the business end of my shiv. Still, I knew the actual threat would probably come from Taurus 4. That was the planet that had wronged Jack in more ways than one.

I watched for a moment as Autumn seemed to get up for no reason and leave the room. I knew my girl better than that, though. She had somethin’ goin’ in her mind. Plottin’ was second nature to us convicts. I still don’t understand why it seems so abnormal. We have escaped convicts for a reason. We had to have planned and plotted our way out of the slam and yet we are seen as stupid. Stupid people didn’t get themselves out of these types of situations, they got themselves killed. Instead, I watched my girl walk in with paper and several writin’ implements. Oh yes she did have a plan.

“Jack. Do you think you could draw us two maps? The first of the area by the spaceport and your parents' house. Don’t leave anything out. If there’s a guard station or a lone mercenary patrol, document it to the best of your ability. The other map should be of the establishment on Taurus 4, the one they forced you to stay in. Give us the layout so that we can figure out a strategy. You don’t have to stay here, during this, if you don’t want to.” ** **  
****

This was an idea I could get behind. Knowin’ the layout of something was enough to give us an advantage. A lot of cities were laid out the same way, even though people would swear they weren’t. I’d been to enough cities in my life to know that most people when the left to go ‘found’ a new planet they took their unconscious thoughts from their own homeworld with them. Pullin’ Autumn into my arms as she sat back down, I watched little Jackie start to draw. When she was done, she seemed to be hesitant on her own skill.

I watched as my girl started making some drawin’s too. She seemed to have an idea ‘bout things. Watchin’ her, I noticed what she was doin’. The map looked just like the bowels of Butcher Bay. That place was easy enough to escape. It only took me eleven hours and some change to get out. Autumn had survived as well, and we were lookin’ at almost the exact same floor plan, only this was a city. I wanted to slap these people. Why did people have to do this? Makin’ it easy on us to get in and get out. Well alright, they probably never saw us comin’ and usin’ it this way.

“Alright, so here’s what I’ve done. The layout of this planet seems to be laid out, much like the bowels of Butcher Bay. Or am I seeing things, Rick?”

“You’re right.”

“With that being said, I think I know what the best route and path to take are. From the moment we land, we will be on a time crunch. I want all of this done and us back on the ship within the hour. Please don’t make us have to come after you. We cannot lose anyone else on this trip.”

“Calm down, baby. Nothin’ goin’ to happen if I can help it. This place is just like the Bay, and we escaped that with ease. Just relax.”

As she was talkin’, I could feel Autumn gettin’ worked up again. I couldn’t help but lean in and whisper the words to her. I wouldn’t let anythin’ hurt her or Jackie girl over there. Squeezin’ my arms around her, I allow her to lean against me. She was my everythin’, and I wouldn’t let her work herself up over this. All this emotion was goin’ to wear her out before long. We had time, time to work this out, but we couldn’t always prepare for the worst. I was goin’ to get her to see that one day. She needed to take thin’s as they came or else she was goin’ to get sick.

We spent the rest of the night goin’ over the parts we would play. I was surprised at how significant a role the free settlers wanted. They seemed sure that they could handle it. Autumn and I would be armed, and I’d make sure that Zeke and Shazza had weapons if they wanted them. I was always carryin’ a shiv, except when I was asleep in bed. The knife stayed under the pillow then. Not that Autumn didn’t have one on her side too. It was several hours before we were all satisfied that we knew what we needed to do.

I watched as Autumn got up when we were done and slowly followed her. She was exhausted, that much was clear from her look. The moment her head hit the pillows, she was out like a light, and I couldn’t help but sigh. She was workin’ herself into a frenzy and then fallin’ into a slumber. I wanted her to relax a moment. Tomorrow would be a day just for us, and I’d make sure she was relaxed before anythin’ else like this happened. Oh yes, I had a few ideas on that one.


	13. The Calm Before The Storm

Exhaustion was something that I was struggling to understand. Having spent my entire life getting little to no sleep, one would think that I would be used to it by now. Apparently, the more time I spent around Rick, the more I wanted to get a decent amount of sleep. I blamed my animal. She was at peace for the first time in twenty-five years, and whenever my mate was around, all she wanted to do was snuggle up to him and rest. Maybe this was what I needed all this time? Perhaps it was just wishful thinking on my part.

, Of course, I knew that the big man who had claimed me as he knew the answer. My mind was a whirl of questions, and I so badly wanted the answers, but now wasn’t the time to dig. I couldn’t afford to be selfish, not one bit. I needed, wanted to make sure that we took care of Jack’s situation first before we even delved into mine. Not that I knew that things were only going to get abnormal from here. I knew that the woman that had given me the disk had told me that someone was headed our way. How they would find us, I didn’t realize, but deep in my gut I knew they would.

With a sigh, I stretched before I tried to get out of the bed. At least that had been the plan. I was going to get out of bed, get up, and move around the ship. Not that there was much to do. I could only eat so much and watch so many vids before my mind exploded. _Oh what I’d give for a ship with a workout room or something._ Maybe I could still get some exercise. The main room was large enough that if we moved the furniture around, I could even spar with Riddick. Would he fight with me, though? We’d been close, but we hadn’t been joined since that first night. Not that I minded. I knew that neither of us really had time to delve into the sexual side of our relationship. We had too many other things going on in our brains.

As I tried to move from the bed, I felt an arm press against me, and myself being pulled back into a large warm chest. I knew the meaning behind the unspoken action. _Stay put._ That was the thing about the two of us. We didn’t have to use words to communicate. A look, a touch, a brief passing of our bodies. We knew what each other wanted and reacted accordingly. Why I felt the need to comply with this action I don't know. My inner beast was conflicted. While I wanted to get up and shower and begin the day, I was also perfectly happy to do nothing but lounge around in bed with the man I loved.

“There ain’t nothin’ we gotta do today. Stay. Relax.”

What was I supposed to say to that? He was right, like always, but could I let him know this? We’d already done all the planning we could for the expedition into Taurus 1, and now all we needed was to get there. Tomorrow was the day we would land and start our plans. Today, it was just a day in between. Right now, I was fighting a losing battle within myself to figure out what I wanted to do. At least I was until I felt fingers ghosting up and down my back.

I honestly don’t remember falling asleep the night before. I just knew that I had been emotionally exhausted, and when I reached my limit, I simply fell into bed and didn’t move. Someone, more than likely Riddick, had come in and tucked me in. Well, what I might consider tucking me in. I was barely clothed right now as my chest pressed against his, allowing me to shift and our eyes to meet in the darkness. His fingers were ghosting up and down my back, making me shiver but not in fear. There was something gentle and soothing about his actions, and I was at a loss for words.

Everyone that looked at the convict only saw the animal, the darkness but there was another side to him. He wasn’t some evil being that was hellbent on world destruction. He just wanted to be free, to be left alone. It’s what any animal wants in their life. To find love, have a family and be left alone. Though how much of the first two he had actually wanted, I didn’t know. Try as I might I couldn’t say that I understand the man completely. No one would. Rick was his own type of creature, and the world would either learn to deal with it, or they’d keep trying to take him out.

Letting my silver eyes bore into the matching pair that belonged to my mate, I smiled at him. This, right here in his arms, lying in our bed, was heaven. I had needed this for so long that my animal was trying to make up for it. She purred in contentment at the very notion that his hands were on me, even barely as he stroked my back. I had no idea what he was planning on doing but today was a day to find out.

“There are always things to do, Rick. We can’t stay in bed all day, can we?”

“We can do whatever the hell we want. The other’s they’ll leave us alone unless we are crashin’.”

The way his voice sounded told me that he’d already had something planned before I woke up. I wonder if he told them only to bother us if it was absolutely necessary. Still, it was only around eight in the morning if the chrono was right, and we had hours to kill. I really didn’t fancy staying in bed all day long. If we were anywhere but on the ship flying through space, I might suggest we go mingle in town or do something. We couldn’t leave the boat, at least not while it was traveling. There would be plenty of time to explore the land tomorrow.

Why was this so hard for me? Even the animal inside of me was content to simply be in the arms of the alpha of the animal that claimed me as their mate, yet I was still fighting it. It had nothing to do with survival at this moment because we were as safe as we could be out here in space. Our path was one that was least traveled by mercenaries, and unless someone put a hit out on the ship, we would be able to hide pretty damn quickly. So why was I fighting an order? Why was I trying to find something to do?

That’s what I couldn’t understand, couldn’t wrap my head around. In truth, growing up, all I’d wanted to be a chance out of that damned prison and on my own. A chance to be free, or as loose as an escaped convict can be. I just wanted to be left alone, and yet my whole world had crashed around me simply because I boarded the wrong ship. Did I board the wrong boat? That’s what I was trying to figure out. I knew that talking about it would probably help but who could I tell too?

Was Riddick even going to listen to me if I started rambling? Would he understand? I felt like I had so many questions that didn’t have answers that I was going to go insane. Closing my eyes for a moment, I tried to will my body to relax and the fear and doubt to leave. It would do no good to be afraid of the outcome. I would survive, whatever was to come. How could I not? Survival gripped my very essence and wove itself down into my bones. I would do whatever I had to survive. It was not my time to die and the world needed to understand that.

As I lay there, trying to come to terms with everything I could feel the heat of Riddick behind me. He hadn’t moved a single inch but somehow was still trying to shield me from the riotous thoughts. For someone that could kill so quickly and efficiently, it was strange to see a gentle side of him. Not that I was complaining. I had no doubt that Riddick was only soft around me, and well, maybe Jack. When he told people it was an animal thing, he wasn’t lying. Animals, by nature, were rough and rowdy. They tended to be so dangerous to anyone but those they deemed pack. I was pack, I hoped.

Opening my eyes and staring into the silver ones that were looking at me. For a moment, I was trying to penetrate into his brain, to see if I could even garner a fraction of what he was thinking. He was like this hulking wall of knowledge that was surrounded by an impregnable fortress. It unnerved me to know that the man was always smarter than anyone else around him. I wished I had some mystical power that let me read his thoughts, but he had assured me that as our bond grew, I could at least feel his emotions.

“What?”

The question was more of a demand than a question. Something my inner animal was frowning at. When the alpha gives you an order, you obey it, or you face serious consequences. Even now, I couldn’t even fathom disobeying the request. The very idea of it made me cringe in pain, and I knew that he could see it in my eyes. The thought that I might not actually open up and talk to him. I wanted too, but I felt like a silly little girl who was in way over her head.

“Just all of this. How does one adjust? You’ve spent time outside of prison, you’ve been on the inside as well. You’re the one that everyone fears, knowing that no matter what prison they take you to, chances are you will escape. Me? I’m a nobody. I was born on a planet and left for dead. In fact, if they had been able to kill me, I wouldn’t be here right now. Who am I really, Riddick? I know what that chip told me, but is it even true? Who are Furyans? What are we? Are we animals, are we human? Why would anyone even care to understand this? Why?”

For a moment I froze as the dam burst, and my emotions came to the forefront. Inside of me, the animal was quiet, contemplative for the first time in twenty-five years. I wanted so badly to just go with the flow, but that was even more dangerous than having the answers that one sought. I knew on a base level that we, as a people, would never truly understand the desires and thoughts of others. I had already learned to categorize people into threes. Those that sought nothing but greed, mostly the cops, and mercenaries that came after us, Those that were stupid enough to believe everything they were told about someone, mostly every civilian on every planet. Those that were defiant, and punished for it. People like me who never bothered to understand why we should take something at face value.

“It doesn’t matter, Autumn. The more you force yourself to adjust, the worse it will become. Trust the animal inside of you, the one that told you that we’d be together. Do you trust that it knows how to protect you? I can sense it there, on the boundaries of your mind and your body. It wants to protect you from guiding you. Trust in it. It’s what I do and looks at where I am. We survive because we have that animal instinct to survive. After all, it is ingrained in us not just by us being Furyan’s or whatever, but by the fact that life has demanded that we adjust. I won’t leave you to handle this alone, and your ass better not leave me. We are a team, we are the alpha’s, and we will overcome it all.”

“I wish it was that easy to believe Rick.”

“It is. You have to push your fear aside. It will consume you if you let it. Push it aside, feed it to the animal and let it not linger.”

Why couldn’t people see this man like this? Why couldn’t they actually have intelligent conversations with the convict? If they tried, they would honestly realize just who they were fucking with. He was not stupid, and if he got caught, if we got caught, it would be because we allowed it and nothing more. As I lay there, still sprawled across his body, I could feel myself finally letting go. All of the rage and confusion, all of the fear. It was bleeding out of me, and for once, I was indeed whole. Well, almost the entire. The first time I’d felt like everything was clicking into place had been when we had joined. We hadn’t been that intimate the last few days, but we didn’t need to be.

Leaning forward, I pressed a kiss to his chest, and I could hear his mumbled purr through it. I could listen to the animal inside of me, telling me that he’d been right this whole time. I was letting the fear of the world outside the walls of the Bay cloud my judgment and my ability to function. Only when I make the animal instincts kick in had I been even somewhat competent. That would change. I was a whole new animal, one the world wasn’t ready for, but one I was damn sure that Riddick would have no problem with. He didn’t need a whiny, sniveling little thing, he needed a partner, an equal. I would be that equal.

“So Big Evil, what are we going to do all day.”

“Absolutely nothin’.”

Before I could speak again, there was a soft knock at the door. It was our luck that the bed was situated right in the middle of the room. We could see anyone that tried to enter, and for a moment, I tensed, thinking I needed to get up and at least throw on some clothes; since Rick had undressed me overnight. Feeling him wrap his arms around my waist and hold me tight, making sure the covers were covering me up to the mid-back and nothing was showing, I relaxed.

“Enter.”

Came to the command and a tiny head peeked around the door frame with a blush and a smile. As soon as I caught a whiff of the scent, I knew why she was the one to be sent. Jack was standing there, blushing and nervous for having to interrupt us. They had sent the one person that we were less likely to yell at or attack. I didn’t even bother to turn around and acknowledge her, not that I could get in the current situation.

“So..Sorry to interrupt but we’ve hit a slight hiccup. We can’t figure out how to change the course, and if we don’t change the nav, we will run right into an asteroid belt. You’re the only know that knows how to pilot Riddick.”

“I’ll be out in a few kiddo.”

“Alright, I’ll go tell the others. Just hurry?”

I could hear the panic and fear in her voice, but we’d be fine. It was a meteor storm that had taken down the Hunter-Gratzner, and so I understood her concern. I watched a moment as Riddick slowly pulled himself from the bed and threw on some pants. With a hesitant look, he also grabbed one of his black tanks and pulled it on before moving barefoot out of the room. I might be ready to see him shirtless, but I doubted that he others could handle it. For now, though, I was going to do as he asked and not move. He didn’t want me leaving the bed, and if he hadn’t have had to leave to go address the possible crash issue, I’m quite sure he’d have stayed too.

Glancing at the chrono and sighing, I knew it was close to lunchtime. We’d already managed to take up at least three hours doing nothing but lying here talking to each other. I could hear the voices of the other survivors, as they talked about the noises. There was a growl, a whimper, and then silence. I was curious about the latter two. What caused him to growl, and why was Jack whimpering like she’d been struck? Riddick wasn’t one to hit a child. So something else had to have happened.

My instincts were warring with the desire not to disobey an alpha command. I wanted to check and make sure the girl was alright. Before I could, though, both Riddick and Jack made their way into the room. I sighed a bit at seeing that they were both fine, but I wasn’t sure what was going on. Turning my gaze so I could see and know that Jack was at a disadvantage because, unlike Rick and myself, she couldn’t see in the near dark. The scent of blood was in the air, and I wondered if she’d managed to somehow hurt herself.

Shifting, so that I was still covered by the sheets, but so that Jack could come and sit by me I watched as she did so. The young girl rested her head upon my chest and sighed as I looked down at her hand. Even in the light that we had, I could tell she’d done something stupid. Rick moved out of the bathroom and into the doorway with the first aid kit, and I shot him a look. I knew that he’d tell me sooner or later, so I didn’t push the issue. Not that I was one to force issues, well this issue.

Carefully I watched as the big man moved over and sat down by us so that he could grip Jack’s hand. Slowly he cleaned the wound and bandaged it. Whatever she had done, it had burned her slightly and cut her. Both would heal and quickly. They weren’t severe, but they were still ways to learn that she shouldn’t do whatever it was she was trying to do again. Leave it to someone who knew the parts. With a nudge, I forced her to look at me, and all I could see was fear and trepidation. She was nervous about tomorrow, but there was something else. It was a fear that she might be taken from us, the only ones who seemed to show more than a passing interest in her well-being.

“Why don’t you go get us some lunch, Jack, and leave the sparkin’ wires to Shazza next time. Alright?”

“Go on, you’re fine.”

I motioned for her to go. She was going to be okay. I could hear Shazza hovering in the doorway, hoping the girl was alright. I watched with a bit of a strange feeling, as the kid got up, smiled at both of us before sprinting from the room and into Shazza. I could hear the older woman scolding her again for her stupidity, but it was done out of love. It wasn’t like the type of scolding that Fry had done on the planet. No this was someone that cared about her and hoped she wouldn’t hurt herself again.

“Got everything sorted?”

“They just overreact is all. Can’t say I blame them what with the last ship goin’ down ‘cause of a meteor storm. We were still several hours away from impactin’. Just a minor shift in the course, and we should be fine.”

“So what happened to Jack then?”

“One of the kids, Ali I think, was playin’ with the vidscreen and he dropped it. The wires started sparkin’ cause he knocked somethin’ loose, and Jack went to go grab it. I wasn’t able to stop her, and Shazza was yellin’ at her about it. Knew the kid would be alright, and I don’t think she’ll go grabbin’ any more sparkin’ wires for a bit. At least, I hope not. Damn near gave me a coronary, that one.”

“Aww, you going soft on me?”

The answering growl I got was more than enough cue that if he was going soft, he wasn’t going to admit it. Riddick was soft when it came to the two of us, but then my animal knew why. We were a pack. I was his mate, his equal and little Jack; she was a cub, like a sister to us both. She was someone to protect, and we couldn’t fight our natures on that. Staring up into his eyes, I saw the spark of fire that raced across the silver as he leaned in and devoured my lips in a kiss. It wasn’t in anger, not really, he knew I was right. Around us, he was going soft but the world wouldn’t see that, couldn’t see that.

“I ain’t a softy woman.”

“Nope, nothing soft about you, muscle boy.”

I was playing with fire, that much I knew. From the smirk on his face, I could tell I’d get it later, and it would be worth it. Any more flirting with him was put on hold when Jack knocked again and brought in a tray with food. Shazza followed with a second tray, both smiled at us and waved before shutting the door.

Riddick climbed off the bed and went and locked the door so we wouldn’t have any more surprised interruptions and drug the trays back with on his return. I was leaning against the pillows now, resting and watching him. He stalked the room like a predator, and that was partly why I loved him. Every move he took was filled with a feline grace that no one had seen before. Why else would it intimidate the others?

When he sat again, he was leaning right next to me the trays of food across my lap as we looked down at it. Shazza had been cooking still, not that I minded. The woman was an excellent cook as well, but then someone like her tended to be. What had me surprised was the amount of food on the tray. They apparently remembered that the two of us managed to eat far more than anyone else. Some of it I wasn’t even sure what it was, but I wasn’t going to look at the food as harmful. They had made us lunch and well I was going to eat it.

Slowly I started to nibble on the food, knowing I was being watched. On one level, I wondered if it was a way for Riddick to control things. I’d seen the way he’d eye me critically as if he was making some judgment of my person. Most convicts by nature were scrawnier than they should be. If he was planning on fattening me up, I wouldn’t mind in the least. I happened to like food, and it didn’t bother me as much as it should. When he seemed pleased enough that I wasn’t going to fight him on the amount of food, he started to eat himself. This was companionable silence, peace.

, For now, we had that. We had peace and were being left alone. It was only a matter of time, though, before someone else tried to come after us. Eating was the only thing I could do right now. In a way, I knew that Riddick was right, we had managed to spend most of the day in bed, one way or another. He was planning something, that much I could tell, but I wasn’t able to pin what it really was. So many ideas ran through my head about what he was planning.

Soon enough the food was gone, the trays completely clean and the drinks were drained. It was an exciting day, to say the least. I could handle this food in bed things more often, especially if it included such lovely desserts as chocolate-covered strawberries. I had seen the way his eyes lit up at my moans. It was such a delectable treat that I’d never had before. A part of me wondered if he remembered that I’d spent my entire life, up until this point, locked inside a prison. They sure as hell didn’t have chocolate-covered strawberries in prison.

When the trays were out of the way the mood in the room changed, shifted and honestly I was shocked I didn’t see it coming sooner. I was flat on my back, staring up into calculating silver eyes and wondering precisely what he was thinking. I didn’t have to wait for long as his mouth pressed against mine. It was gentle and yet demanding at the same time. I put up no fight, knowing that I wanted the same thing.

Allowing my body to relax under his, I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back. This was our time, a time for us to enjoy each other without the constant fear of someone attacking us. As his kiss deepened, I didn’t fight his actions. He moved us so that for the first time, I had a chance to have the power. He was laying on his back, with me straddling his legs as he smirked up at me.

There were times I really hated how cocky and self-assured he was, but I knew it was part of the whole package. All I could do for a moment was sit there and stare down at the fine specimen of a man that was in front of me. I must have sat there for too long because I felt him nudge me and then laugh a little. I wanted to smack him, but instead, I just slid myself home and set a soft but gentle rhythm. I’d never get used to having him inside of me, not that I was complaining. He knew exactly what he was doing with that body of his.

Our lovemaking this time was sweet and gentle, nothing like the first time. There was no hurry, no need to rush our mating. We were joined together, always and we could enjoy it this time. I hadn’t been expecting the feelings to show up as quickly as they had this time. This feeling of bliss and harmony. There was no denying that Riddick could tell more about me than I could know about myself. He could tell when I was close to the edge and struck with his teeth in his mark at that moment. The wail he pulled from me was not one of pain but of satisfaction. If I was entirely honest with myself, I would know that I’d never come so hard in my life.

Our lives were intrinsically linked, there was no arguing about it. He knew what pleased me, and I knew on some level, maybe not one as strong as his, what pleased him. I had a lot more to learn about the animal beneath me, but I was willing. As I came down from the high that he always made me feel, I stared into eyes as I felt my body relax to the point of being jelly. I was so content and happy that I wouldn’t be able to protect anyone like this. Not that it mattered. Riddick, no matter what state, always seemed to be able to take down the enemies.

Laying there, with my head on his chest, I felt myself relax again. I wouldn’t stay in the same spot for long. Riddick moved, laying me out on my stomach on the bed as his stiff fingers started working the muscles up and down my back. He was working at the knots, and the stress points, and all I could do was moan in contentment. Whatever I’d done to deserve this, I wasn’t going to argue. I was so relaxed that my entire body and the animal inside of me felt entirely at ease. I wanted nothing more than to close my eyes and drift off.

Maybe I would if it was the right time. Life was funny that way. I stopped trying to fight the idea of going to sleep. Instead, I just let myself relax further. I didn’t care what time it was, all that mattered at the moment was that I was relaxed. I could hear my mate purring above me, appreciating my efforts to stay calm and relaxed. Now was not the time to push issues with him. Then again, there was never a time, but I could feel myself falling into the lulling darkness of sleep. That much was clear.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I knew what it was like to be exhausted. I’d been there many times myself, and sometimes all I could do was pass out and hope to still be alive when I woke up. This was different. I was a watchin’ Autumn struggle with it, and it hurt. She didn’t need to be so confused by the world. She was tired, she should rest. There was absolutely nothin’ wrong with doin’ that. I had plans for her today, and the others had already been told not to bother us unless the ship was going to crash. We needed our time, just the two of us and for the most part I think they understood. ** **  
****

I could tell that Jackie girl was a little nervous about bein’ out of our site, but Shazza would protect her. It was the right choice at the time, really. Lettin’ the free settler take care of the girl kept her out of our hair. ‘Sides Shazza was always comin’ up with some new invention and gettin’ Jack to learn how to do it. Good for both of them. Right now, my time was focused’ on the woman in the bed with me. She was the one that needed my attention.

I’d spent so long listenin’ to the animal inside of me. Learnin’ to control it and put it back in a cage when needed, so I understand what it was sayin’ to me. It wanted to give our mate a little bit of tender care and hope that she relaxed enough to just enjoy the day. So many thin’s could be done later, thin’s that didn’t really require our attention. She just tended to be one of those women that flit around and triple checked everythin’. I’d have to break her of that habit, eventually.

Layin’ there with my arms wrapped around her and her now naked chest pressed against my front I couldn’t help but smile. She had no idea the thin’s I’d done sneakily to her overnight. Nothin’ bad, just makin’ it so I could feel her naked flesh against my own. It appeased the beast inside of me immensely, and I could tell that it wouldn’t be too much of a problem. Autumn was the kind of person that quickly forgave, at least when it came to me.

As she stretched, I tried not to groan. The feelin’ of her rubbin’ against me made me harden far more than I should have, at the given hour. I could sense that she was tryin’ to get out of bed, and I wouldn’t have any of it. Squeezin’ my grip on her, I pressed her closer to the bed and pulled her back against me. I was sendin’ her a silent message, and I could tell that she understood. It was clear the order. Stay Put. We didn’t often need words in situations like this; a look, a touch, a fleeting moment. It was enough. I could feel her tense around me, and I knew I needed to say somethin’ before everythin’ became all topsy-turvy on us.

“There ain’t nothin’ we gotta do today. Stay. Relax.”

I didn’t want her to feel like I was trappin’ her, but really she was movin’ far too much for my liking. I was hoping to catch a few more hours of sleep, but once she started to wake, I knew I couldn’t stay asleep. This day was about makin’ sure she was comfortable and relaxed. I wanted to find a way to melt all that stress away from her. There was no maybe about it, I could, and I would find a way to get her to relax enough that she fell asleep again.

Ghostin’ my fingers up and down her back was the only thin’ I could do. I was tryin’ to relax her, and a part of me wasn’t even sure how. This simple action, one I’d started unconsciously, was the only thin’ at the moment that made sense to do. As her head tilted up to mine, I leaned down to look at her. The lights were kept low enough that neither of us needed our goggles. It was a heady sufficient feelin’ knowin’ that there was at least one other person who could see like I could. My animal was crooinin’ at her. Tryin’ to get her to relax. It wanted the same thin’ that I did for her from the moment I’d marked her.

Her smile almost did me in right there. I don’t know why, but whenever she was around, I felt weak. She was quickly becomin’ my whole world, and I knew the thought of survivin’ without her would be unbearable. I wanted to make sure she had everythin’ her heart desired. This wasn’t a feelin’ I was used too. Sure I’d looked out for people before, but this was somethin’ new. It was a feelin’ that I was sure I was goin’ to have to dwell on at a later time. Right now, I needed her to understand that she wasn’t leavin’ the bed unless we started to crash.

“There are always things to do, Rick. We can’t stay in bed all day, can we?”

“We can do whatever the hell we want. The other’s they’ll leave us alone unless we are crashin’.”

I couldn’t help but put a little bit of anger into my voice. She was questionin’ my plans, and it annoyed me. I wanted her to just trust me, entirely, without havin’ to know every detail. So far, she’d done that, so why was now any different? I watched her glance at the clock and tried not to laugh. I didn’t care what time it was, she was mine, and if I wanted to stay in bed with her the whole day, I would. It wasn’t such a wrong way of spendin’ time was it?

Her animal took it for what it was, a slight command from its alpha. I could see her warrin’ with herself. She was fightin’ the hold that her inner beast had on her. Most days that’d be an accomplishment but not today. Not when I want her to just put herself in my hands and allow me this time. We weren’t likely to get many. Our lives were always goin’ to be dangerous, the merc’s always chasin’ us and draggin’ us into slams. So what little time we had between those events was time we needed to spend wisely.

I kept my gaze on her as she looked anywhere but at me, at first. When she did finally look my way, I could tell she wanted to ask me somethin’. I wasn’t gonna stop her, not when she needed to express this, or it was goin’ to eat at her for a while. I hadn’t meant for my voice to come out as harsh as it was, but she wasn’t sayin’ anythin’. I didn’t like the silence, not when there was somethin’ thick in the air that we needed to talk about.

“Just all of this. How does one adjust? You’ve spent time outside of prison, you’ve been on the inside as well. You’re the one that everyone fears, knowing that no matter what prison they take you to, chances are you will escape. Me? I’m a nobody. I was born on a planet and left for dead. In fact, if they had been able to kill me, I wouldn’t be here right now. Who am I really, Riddick? I know what that chip told me, but is it even true? Who are Furyans? What are we? Are we animals, are we human? Why would anyone even care to understand this? Why?”

There she’d said it. Quite a mouthful actually. I knew that she had questions and concerns, and in a way, it made me growl. I didn’t want her scared or unsure. I wanted her to trust that I had her back as she had mine. That at the end, when the darkness of the night came, all the worries of the day could be left and picked up again the mornin’. Her fears, though, they made sense. In the grand scheme of thin’s she wasn’t anyone of importance. At least to anyone outside of myself and those on this ship. She was someone who, by all accounts, didn’t even exist. That was a hard thing to swallow, I know. I wouldn’t let it be the thin’ that bothered her, not today.

“It doesn’t matter, Autumn. The more you force yourself to adjust, the worse it will become. Trust the animal inside of you, the one that told you that we’d be together. Do you trust that it knows how to protect you? I can sense it there, on the boundaries of your mind and your body. It wants to protect you from guiding you. Trust in it. It’s what I do and looks at where I am. We survive because we have that animal instinct to survive. After all, it is ingrained in us not just by us being Furyan’s or whatever, but by the fact that life has demanded that we adjust. I won’t leave you to handle this alone, and your ass better not leave me. We are a team, we are the alpha’s, and we will overcome it all.”

“I wish it was that easy to believe Rick.”

“It is. You have to push your fear aside. It will consume you if you let it. Push it aside, feed it to the animal and let it not linger.”

It was true. Fear was not the way to get things to happen. Fear, if you let it would consume until you were nothin’ but a weaklin’. I had fear, but I often fed it to the animal inside of me and let it calm me down. That’s partly what it was there for, my animal. It was my guide, my moral compass, and it had yet to let me down. When people started gettin’ civilized is when they started to fall. I could see that my words were startin’ to synch into her brain. She was startin’ to relax, and I trusted that in the end, she’d shove away all the fear of the unknown. For all intents and purposes, Autumn was still a child to this world. She’d never had a chance to adjust like the rest of us to experience a world outside the prison walls. I would change that; eventually.

Feelin’ her press a kiss to my chest I couldn’t stop the purr that escaped me. I liked that feelin’ and wanted her to do it again. Her animal understood what it was that I was sayin’. It was guidin’ her now, and she was lettin’ it. I wanted to jump for joy, but that would be out of character for me. At least from what I could tell. She didn’t want to see me doin’ that, and it might very well scar the others further than the past few days had.

“So Big Evil, what are we going to do all day.”

“Absolutely nothin’.”

I could tell that she wanted to say somethin’, but she didn’t get the chance. The moment she started to speak, there was a soft knock at the door. I could tell who it was before they even got that close. They had sent Jack to come to reach us, afraid we’d go off on the others. Still, there was a chance that we could yell at the child too. Just because she was the one we were the closest also didn’t make her safe from our wrath.

“Enter.”

There was no room for argument. My tone of voice spoke that I wasn’t happy we were bein’ interrupted. I doubted we were crashin’, so I wondered what was up. I could see Jackie girl’s head peek around the corner of the door. She didn’t see anythin’ that would damage her in any way, both myself and Autumn were covered. Still didn’t stop the blush that ran up her cheeks. I could smell it on her, the embarrassment.

“So..Sorry to interrupt but we’ve hit a slight hiccup. We can’t figure out how to change the course, and if we don’t change the nav, we will run right into an asteroid belt. You’re the only know that knows how to pilot Riddick.”

“I’ll be out in a few kiddo.”

“Alright, I’ll go tell the others. Just hurry?”

There was a slight edge of panic in her voice, and I understood why. It had been an asteroid field that we’d run through and crashed the Hunter-Gratzner. The autopilot could adjust for most thin’s, but sometimes you had to manually change courses. I knew that they wouldn’t trust the ship to fly itself in a situation like this. When Jack left, I sighed. It was close to lunchtime, but I needed to look all this over before I thought about gettin’ our food. Slippin’ out of bed and into some black pants, I threw on one of my clean tanks and left the room.

There wasn’t a need for shoes as I was only goin’ to the cockpit. I knew this ship better than anyone, and I knew where the dangerous parts were. Movin’ my way through the others as they congregated out of the door, I pulled open the cockpit door and waited. They all hovered in close enough to see what was goin’ on but not close enough to truly be crowdin’ me. As I studied the nav screen in front of me, I realized it wasn’t as bad as they were thinkin’. We weren’t anywhere near. The proximity sensors were just set extremely high.

“It’s nothin’. We aren’t even close to it. They just set the sensors far too sensitive for what they should be. I’ve adjusted that. We ain’t gonna crash, so relax, please?”

I wanted to get back to the woman waitin’ for me in bed. She was all that mattered right now. Not the ship, not the people on it, just her. She needed to be my focus for a moment, and I was lettin’ her down with that. With that, all bein’ said I watched as they scampered out of the room and towards the livin’ room. That was when there was a commotion. Heavin’ a sigh, I moved, but I wasn’t quick enough. Jack apparently thought it would be fun to try to grab a sparkin’ wire. I couldn’t fight back the loud growl that came from my mouth or the shriek that came from Jack.

Grabbin’ her by the arm I jerked her away, albeit gently, from the tangled mass. My grip wasn’t one to hurt, but I knew she wouldn’t understand until I said somethin’. Castin’ a glance at Shazza, I pushed Jack out towards the master bedroom where I could go take care of her bleedin’ fingers. The older woman came over quickly to look at the situation at hand. She would make sure that nothin’ else happened and fixed it.

“C’mon, let's get that looked at.”

I pushed the girl through the door and watched as Autumn stared at us. I knew that she wanted to know what was goin’ on, and I would tell her. I watched as the young girl went and practically threw herself at Autumn, burrowin’ down and waitin’. I could smell the blood and the burnt flesh, and I knew it needed to be fixed quickly. Without sayin’ a word, I moved into the bathroom. That was where the first aid kit was. When I had the items in my hand, I made my way back to the bed and gently grabbed the girl's hand again. Cleanin’ the wound, I bandaged it and spoke to her kindly.

“Why don’t you go get us some lunch, Jack, and leave the sparkin’ wires to Shazza next time. Alright?”

“Go on, you’re fine.”

Autumn confirmin’ that she was fine seemed to be the thin’ to get Jack out of our bed. I didn’t want to have to interrupt our time like that, but I could see that the girl needed to be looked after. At the questionin’ look, I knew that I needed to give her answers. It wasn’t like me to take that kind of care of someone, well aside from Autumn and Jack. Still, I felt somewhat responsible for her hurtin’ herself. I hadn’t exactly been kind to them, and she’d been out tryin’ to get away from me.

“Got everything sorted?”

“They just overreact is all. Can’t say I blame them what with the last ship goin’ down ‘cause of a meteor storm. We were still several hours away from impactin’. Just a minor shift in the course, and we should be fine.”

“So what happened to Jack then?”

“One of the kids, Ali I think, was playin’ with the vidscreen and he dropped it. The wires started sparkin’ cause he knocked somethin’ loose, and Jack went to go grab it. I wasn’t able to stop her, and Shazza was yellin’ at her about it. Knew the kid would be alright, and I don’t think she’ll go grabbin’ any more sparkin’ wires for a bit. At least, I hope not. Damn near gave me a coronary, that one.”

“Aww, you going soft on me?”

Growlin’ at the woman I loved I leaned close enough for her to see my eyes. I was soft, but only two people. She knew it, and I knew it, but still, I didn’t want her speakin’ about it. When people found out that the big bad con was soft, they tended to hurt the ones I was sweet on. I knew my face probably held fire, passion and a whole lot of other emotions that she seemed to flow through me.

“I ain’t softy woman.”

“Nope, nothing soft about you, muscle boy.”

Her attitude was enough to make me laugh. Smirkin’ down at her, I understood what she was tellin’ me. This was time for us. We needed this, but we were interrupted again. I knew it was the food this time. Smilin’ as I opened the door, I waited for the trays to be sat down before I closed and locked the door. We wouldn’t be interrupted again. Bringin’ the dishes over I sat them on the bed and leaned right next to Autumn.

I made sure the food was across her lap. I wanted her to eat. She needed to put meat on her bones. The slam had made her too skinny, not that I didn’t love all of her. I just knew that with a healthy diet, she’d look even more fierce than she already was. The trays were overloaded with food, far more than enough for both of us and it was, strangely, the two of us convicts that ate more than anythin’.

I was watchin’ her, I had to admit. I wanted to make sure that she ate, that she wasn’t goin’ to fight me on this. As I watched it catch on in her eyes, she started eatin’ more. This was a good time. Food, lunch, whatever it was. It was another bit of time for us, where we could lock ourselves away from the rest of the world and hope to just be ourselves. I wasn’t goin’ to complain. The food was good too. Shazza was a decent cook, but then so was Autumn. Maybe it was a female thin’, most tended to be pretty good cooks and all.

I watched the way she devoured the sweets, and it turned me on a lot. No one should be that seductive eatin’ chocolate-covered strawberries, but she was. The problem was, she didn’t even know she was doin’ it. She just acted like someone who’d never had such a treat in her life, and the small little moans of happiness were doin’ nothin’ to keep my lust at bay. I could feel the atmosphere in the room shift, charge with my feelin’s. I just didn’t understand why it took her so long to figure it out.

Not that she was stupid, but she was not pickin’ upon thin’s quite as clearly as she could. Pressin’ my mouth to hers, I let the kiss guide me. I had her in my arms, and there was nothin’ that was goin’ to tarnish this moment. She was mine, and I was goin’ to claim her again. Not that it was all about the sex for me, but animals did tend to like that sort of thin’. Who was I to argue when my inner beast was in agreement with me for once.

I shifted us both so that she was sittin’ there, straddlin’ my thighs. I was givin’ her all the power. It was a heady rush, to her at least, I could see it in her eyes. She wasn’t used to havin’ the power, and I wasn’t gonna fight her. I wanted her to have it. I had to nudge her, though, to get her movin’. I can’t say that the act was anythin’ but what it should be. It was sweet and gentle soothin’ both the nerves of our animals. We had already done the frenzied matin’ that came with bein’ what we were, and now we could take the honest time and enjoy each other’s company.

I was waitin’ for her to get relaxed. That kind of relaxed where she seemed to be floatin’ on clouds. When I knew that she was ready, that she needy, I leaned in and bit her again. It served a two-part purpose. I was re-establishin’ my claim as the alpha over her, but at the same time, I was makin’ sure that the mark had truly set. It was a way to warn of other attackers or animals that she belonged to me. As she came undone around me, I couldn’t help but smirk. I knew what it took to please her, and I would do whatever it took to accomplish those goals. End of story.

I felt her crash her head to my chest as she came down from her high. Sex with Autumn was like nothin’ else I’d had, and I’d had lots of sex. It was buried, and it was fundamentally soothin’. Never had my animal been more satisfied and satiated than the moments I spent with her. Even doin’ nothing but holdin’ her in my arms was enough to keep me at peace, and soothed. I got an idea though, at that moment and I knew she’d like it.

Movin’ so that I was leanin’ over her, I started to work out the kinks and stresses in her back. I could feel her muscles givin’ under the onslaught. I wanted her calm and as de-stressed as possible. When I hear her breathin' even out, and her body goes entirely still, I knew she’d fallen asleep. I wasn’t goin’ to wake her, she needed the rest. I would make sure she got it as I moved to lay beside her, allowin’ myself to doze off too.


	14. Taurus One

Early morning wakeups were something that became almost familiar to me. Spending my entire life in the prison levels at Butcher’s Bay gave me a chance to see something that not everyone did. To do so required that I got up early in the morning. People in prisons didn’t sleep well, and they didn’t sleep long. You couldn’t risk it. There were always people around that would shiv you in the back or slit your throat for what you had if they thought it could be of value to them. So it made it hard for me to be someone that didn’t get up early. After a while, it became a habit too. So getting the chance to sleep in was a novelty just as I knew that my mate sleeping next to me was a novelty for him as well. The longer we were on this ship, the harder it was going to be for us to remember that we didn’t grow up with the luxuries.

, Of course, there was another reason that we got up early too. Today was _the day_ that we executed our attack on those that had hurt Jack so severely. I knew that we had to be flawless in what we planned, and I prayed to whatever deity was up there looking down on us that if I didn’t make it back, at least Rick did. He didn’t deserve to die yet. Not when he had such a greater destiny in front of him than most people will ever know. I could feel it in the back of my mind. The knowledge that his time of power and strength wasn’t over yet. We were both needed for some other purpose, but that didn’t make it any easier.

Climbing out of bed slowly, stretching my muscles so that I could get them loose I headed for the shower. Letting the water run down my body and the heat of it pound away the oncoming stress, I tried to remind myself what was going to happen. This was just supposed to be a simple pick up and leave operation. The real killing wasn’t supposed to start until Taurus Four. Still, there was always the chance that we’d run into trouble, I just hoped that it wasn’t of the kind that would actually get us killed. Life was so dangerous for us that we couldn’t take risks. Not ones that we couldn’t at least calculate the success of.

Once I was done with my shower, I dried off quickly and dressed. I felt half-naked even covered with clothing. I didn’t have nearly enough blades on me for my liking, but I’d have to make due. There hadn’t been any place for us to stop and stock up on weapons, but Rick always seems to have extra. Slipping two small knives into my boots and tucking one little stiletto into my hair, I moved through the bedroom, picking up the remainder of the weapons I’d secreted away since escaping the bay and that hellish planet. I would love to have a gun, but that would make what we were about to do too obvious.

Running a hand through my hair, I wished I could find something to tie it back with, but I didn’t have anything left. Giving up on the futile attempt, I left the bedroom and headed into the common area of the ship. Rick was already up, someone who seemed to get up even before I did, which was scary considering the chrono said it was just after five in the morning. We wouldn’t even be landing for another three hours. Moving softly to the couch, I threw myself down on the cushions with a sigh. I needed to get my mind focused on something, anything that would allow me to not kill myself or Riddick during this trial.

Getting up from the couch, I moved the table and furniture against the far wall. Taking a spot in the center of it all, I started going through some of the kata movements that I’d learned in prison. Centering my mind was vital to our success. If we didn’t do this just right, more people would be hurt than necessary. After all, we were only going to get Jacks's things and maybe beat some sense into her father. The real use of our skills was being saved for Taurus 4. Those bastards would get precisely what they deserved at the end of my blades, and Ricks.

Doing the kata’s was soothing to me, it allowed me to almost exist for a moment outside of my own body. I was drawn to the soothing movements into the breathing. Being so absorbed into it that I didn’t even hear the footsteps or sense anyone around me until a pair of arms wrapped around me and moved my hands into the movements. I knew who it was instantly and turned my head. Smiling down at me was Rick. He was apparently familiar with the actions as well because he released me and started to work just beside me.

When we both were done with the kata, two hours had passed. No one had bothered us, and I frowned. Rushing off to the kitchen, I snagged something to eat before running into the room I shared with Riddick. I needed to prepare for our little trip. Digging into the stock of knives that I could find, knowing that I’d have to make or buy more, I hid them all over my body. There were two that would be easy to get too, the one i hid in my back, and the one on my thigh were the easiest to obtain. Some of the weapons would be allowed, it would be what they can’t see that would give us more of an advantage.

When I was sure that I had enough weapons hidden, I left the room. Rick was ready to go, that much was evident by his stance by the door and the fact that the ship was docked already. Moving through the open door of the boat and out to the port, I sighed. Why did all these planets have to be so bright? Adjusting the strap on her goggles, she moved off in the direction of their target. The house wasn't’ too far away, but she didn’t want to take any chances.

I kept my guard up as I moved around the city heading towards the home that Jack had been born into. I knew there were things there that she wanted, family pictures, and trinkets. I would get them for her without any questions. Rick was supposed to take another way, going at the opposite end so that we didn’t look like we were a team. It was the whole divide and conquer idea. I was all for it, and yet, I was nervous as hell. This could go horribly horribly wrong, and none of us were prepared for any significant injuries.

Taking a deep and steady breath. I pushed my way closer towards the house. This was the house that had started it all for little Jack, and I was going to make absolutely sure that they understood they were to blame. I wished for a moment that my weapons were out, and I could show them off, but I knew better. I didn’t want anyone knowing what was to come. After all, this was not the planet where the killing would be. No, we were going to save that for Taurus Four.

With my eyes staring at the house that Jack had grown up in, to a point, and the man that had sold her into slavery, I sighed. I wished that he wasn’t there. It would have been a hell of a lot easier to get in and get out without the man there. Right now, nothing was stopping him from alerting the police that there were intruders. Well, nothing but being at the wrong end of the blade. Even so, I knew that I couldn’t risk it. I wasn’t nearly as powerful physically as my Rick was, but he was also very easily identifiable. How many escaped convicts are his size? Not many at all.

Finding the derelict house wasn’t all that hard, it was precisely where Jack had said it would be. Moving closer to the door, I tried to listen to see if something was going on. We should have been alone in the house, being able to sneak in and get her things. Complications were not something that we wanted, but they had been normal lately. Without a thought, I busted the lock and snuck into the central part of the house. It wasn’t hard to find Jack’s room. It was exactly as she said it would be and that honestly concerned me. It had been years since she’d been here, something should have changed.

Scanning my gaze to the left, I saw that Rick had taken his position. He was in a better shot to get out of here, but we still needed to both get in that house. I knew the things that a little girl like her would need, and Rick was supposed to be the muscle. It looked like he’d get to be the muscle a hell of a lot faster than I wanted him too. Nodding my head, an almost imperceptible movement, I moved forward. This was my show, after all. I needed to prove to not only Rick but Jack that I could do this. Well, at least that’s what I thought. I’d already helped them get off that godforsaken planet and out of the clutches of the merc who wanted to mount us like prized hunt animals. Why I felt like I still had to prove myself, I didn’t know.

Closing my eyes for a moment, feeling the animal inside of me uncoil and get ready to spring, I knew that this was the time. This was the time when we would shine. We both could be in and out without so much as disturbing a hair on that man's chest, but I wouldn’t. I wanted him to understand precisely what he’d done to his only daughter. So I pushed the door open, slightly upset that they hadn’t bothered to lock it. What was it with the stupid people? Did they not understand that an unlocked door was a better sign that something was going to happen.

Once across the threshold of the house, I could sense Rick not too far off. He’d come in the back door, waiting to spring if something were to happen to me. For a moment, I was utterly happy that Jack had agreed to stay at the ship with Imam. I didn’t need either of them seeing what we might have to do here.

Putting all of my Furyan talents to use, I let my feet silently pad up the stairs that were just past the entryway. Jack had given us the layout so well that I could probably find what I was looking for in my sleep. I sensed no other people in the house other than myself, Riddick and Jack’s errant father. I only hoped that the man didn’t try to run afoul of Riddick. Right now neither of us could really afford to have anyone see us in one of our moods.

At the top of the stairs, I took in a deep breath. This place reeked. Not that it would have stopped me from what I was doing, but I couldn’t help it. Certain areas started to take on the life that they were forced to be a part of. This place smelled like a brothel and not a very clean one at that. With a frown and a deep sigh, I veered off into the room that was supposed to be Jack’s. It was the only one that didn’t have a smell too it.

Forcing open the door, I was shocked for a moment. It was almost like they’d turned the room into a shrine. Considering the way they’d sent her off to be a slave to the system, I couldn’t understand that. If she had died or something, then maybe, but right now, she was alive and well. Shaking myself from my morose thoughts, I moved towards the closet. It was a small affair that didn’t house a lot, but any little thing would be enough for Jack. This much I knew. What she didn’t have here Rick, and I would get for her. She was our baby sister, our pack and we would protect her.

At the top of the small closet was a bag that would be big enough for what we needed. Pulling it down, I checked to make sure there wasn’t anything inside that would get us in trouble or hurt in any way. Releasing the latch, I started to fill it. Mostly with the few stuffed animals that the little girl had and the clothing. Well, I lie. Not all the clothing was coming with us. Only the ones that were appropriate for a young lady of her status to wear.

I was honestly angered by the style of clothing that I saw. I knew what Jack had told us about her time before her mother’s death, and before she got sent to that home. I knew what had happened to her while there. The clothing that was staring at me was a sign that her father knew a lot more about it than he wanted anyone to know. I would never understand what kind of parent would let a young child wear clothing that revealing or short but then I remembered her words; he did this so that she would draw him in people and when she refused that was when she was sent to the other planet.

_Sick bastard. I hope that he enjoys the little warning that my Rick is going to give him before we leave. I couldn’t fight the thought staring at this. By the time I’d packed all the appropriate clothing, I had realized that Jack didn’t have very much at all. There were three pairs of pants, and they probably would only fit her for another month before they’d be far too short to wear. She had about a dozen tops that weren’t revealing, but she could get buy with wearing. Again I wasn’t even sure how much of this clothing would fit her. Why her father even had this stuff was beyond me, considering that he hadn’t seen her since he’d sold her off._

__

With the bag packed, I glanced around her room once more. There was a spot that looked slightly out of place. Moving too it, I pushed open the loose brick in the wall. Hidden behind it was a picture. It looked like one that someone had loved very much but tried to keep hidden so that it wouldn’t be destroyed. Looking at it made my heart clench in a brief flash of pain. It was a picture of Jack and her mother. I would take that too her. I knew that I’d never get that. My mother had been in jail, and there were no pictures taken then. I didn’t even know what she looked like.

__

Now that I had that secret little treasure tucked into the pocket of my pants, I was sure I had everything from the room. Closing the door behind me, the bag slung across my back, I silently made my way downstairs again. I could hear the sounds of a scuffle and the pure masculine laugh of my mate. He was enjoying this, probably more than I was. I also knew that he could sense the direction of my emotions and would likely want to try to figure out what was causing them.

__

It wasn’t that it was rare for me to have moments of weakness. I had them. Most everyone had them. I was even pretty sure that my Rick had them. I just was finding it harder to hide them from him. He and I were indeed a pair. Neither of us knew anything about our parents than what we were already told. He knew that he was a Furyan, sort of, and I knew that I was too. I knew that my mother was an ambassador, and my father had been high up in the ranks. That was it. We didn’t have pictures or anything for us to gaze at to even get a glimpse of who we were destined to be. This was something that I’d talk to him later about.

__

Following the sounds, I leaned against the doorway, the bag from Jack’s room still across my back. I observed him, seeing him away from the prying eyes of the law and the mercs, and for more than the first time, I was entranced. I loved him, and he was in his element. With each stroke of the shiv, I could see the masterpiece come together.

__

“Don’t stop the fun on my account. We gotta go, love, the sun will rise in a few hours.” I knew that I probably looked stupid, saying that considering it was broad daylight, but it was a code. It was the signal that if we didn’t leave now, there was a good chance the police or a random patch of mercenaries would find us or the little ship we’d called our home. I wanted nothing more than to get back and make sure that Jack was protected.

__

I caught Rick’s eyes, and he smirked at me before he cast the final cut and spoke down to the horrible excuse for a flesh bag.

__

“Let this be a lesson to you. Children are our greatest gift, and you squandered yours away. If you even so much as try to find us or contact her, you will wish that I’d not shown you any mercy here, do you understand?”

__

I watched as the man nodded. There was a part of me that wondered why he couldn’t actually answer, but a quick glance at his neck showed me that his larynx was probably crushed and would take a while to heal. Hell, I wouldn’t be upset if he didn’t actually improve. With that spoken, the two of us left the house and headed back to the ship. I knew that the questions from Riddick would come, I just wasn’t sure I was quite ready for them yet. I couldn’t hide anything from him. That was for sure.

__

Making it back to the ship wasn’t a problem. The way was clear, and we’d not encountered any resistance. I wouldn’t be happy until we were in atmo and leaving the planet behind us. Tossing the bag down on one of the couches, I sighed as I stared at the chrono on the wall. We needed to get a move on, but it would still take us several more days before we reached Taurus 4. I could feel a pair of arms wrap themselves around me, and I relaxed into their embrace. Rick was giving me the quiet balance that I needed at the moment, without delving too much into things. The questions could come later. Right now he knew that I just needed comfort.

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, Unlike my lover, I was used to gettin’ up early. Many times in the slam, you had to get up at damn near the crack of dawn to avoid anyone tryin’ to gut you and take your thin’s. I guess I could say that it was part of being an escaped convict. You learn fast to get up early and stay up as late as possible. I slept very little, far less than even my mate did. She still slept like the world wasn’t after us, and that made me happy. She needed rest, and I could get by with very little for many days.

__

This was goin’ to be the day that we started our plan to avenge little Jackie. I was goin’ to make sure that nothin’ happened to either of the women ever again. They were my pack, my family, and it was my duty to protect them. I could sense the nervousness and unease comin’ off of her in waves. This was her chance to show that she was just as strong as I was, and I knew that was part of the reasonin’ behind the emotions. She was going to be okay; she didn’t need to prove anything’. I just couldn't get her to understand that.

__

I heard her get out of our warm bed and sighed. I wished she’d stayed for a little while longer. At least then, I could have tried to comfort her more than she was lettin’ me. When the shower ran, I couldn't help but frown. She needed to do this, but the protective streak in me was more extensive than the space lanes, and I hated that she was makin’ me worry like this. I knew it wasn’t intentional, but what was I supposed to do? Just forget that we both were takin’ a huge ass risk for some thing’s for our little Jackie?

__

When she was done with her shower, I slipped in behind her and took mine. I loved it this way. The place smelled like her, and it made me almost roll my eyes back in my head. No one would understand the attraction I had to my mate’s scent. It was the most amazin’ thin' I’d ever smelled and partly why the animal in me had chosen to claim her. There were other reasons, but the smell was essential to the animals. She smelled like me now and a scent that was all her own. Shaking myself free of the thoughts, I finished my shower and moved out to dress. I was goin’ to be feelin’ apprehension from my love for a good while now. At least until this job was done and we were safely back in atmo.

__

I was out of the room, fully dressed and fitted with all my shivs and weapons before Autumn would even really know what was goin’ on. I knew it bothered her that there were times I was up before her. She didn’t have it quite as hard as I had growin’ up, and she needed her sleep more. I would be damned if she only got an hour of sleep when her body needed way more than that. She was mine to protect and look after, and I would do that, even if it meant I only could sleep for an hour myself.

__

I watched as my love moved around the ship and tried to get her mental tone right. Neither one of us could really afford to be without our best game. We didn’t want to risk gettin’ caught even though we would probably fight our way free. She didn’t know that I was watchin’ her do her kata’s tryin’ to center herself. I’d already done mine, much earlier than she would have thought. I moved faster than most humans did, and she was slightly slower than I was. Of course, I would join her, I couldn’t resist. Wrappin’ my arms around hers and letting our arms do the movements together, I could feel her relax some. Smillin’ down at her, I couldn’t help but feel happy. When I knew that she was relaxed enough to actually get the benefit of the workout, I moved to the side, and together we finished the routine.

__

The thin’ about the katas? It was easy to get lost in the movements. They were a way to soothe not only the human but the beast inside of us. The animals liked the calmin’ motions and the breathin’ control that helped us focus and get our minds in the right zone. I knew how long we’d been doin’ them, but it seemed to surprise Autumn that we’d been doing this for two hours. She needed it like I needed her to survive now. I watched as she ran off to the kitchen to snag somethin’ to eat and simply waited. I was ready to go, and she would be soon enough.

__

When we left, I was happy. I didn’t wanna linger around the ship anymore, and we had a lot to do before we could get off this hellhole. Findin’ the house wasn’t a problem. It was actually a lot easier than most people would have thought. Then again, most people didn’t have the workin’ knowledge of the layout of Butcher’s Bay like Autumn, and I did. To us, this planet was laid out almost identical to it, so we wouldn’t have any trouble findin’ anything we needed. I wasn’t impressed with the house that I was starin’ at though. considierin’ that the man has sold his daughter pretty much into sexual slavery I would have expected a more beautiful place, by now at least.

__

What I didn’t like about the plan was that I had to take a different way to the house than my love. I could do it, of course, but I would be damned if somethin’ happened to her because I wasn’t near. I could feel her on my radar, and I knew she was still safe. Nervous for sure but safe for now. So I let my feet carry my large frame over to the point of interest. Both of us moved much faster than anyone wanted to admit. I wished for a moment that I could have taken this at a leisurely stroll, but I didn’t have that luxury right now. We needed to be in and out before the sirens rained down upon us.

__

While my thoughts were churnin’ about what was going to happen, I took my spot. I could see Autumn from here and knew that she would be the one to go inside and snag Jackie’s thin’s. Didn’t bother me, really. I had to keep our ‘guest’ occupied, and I would be happy too, so long as it meant that my love didn’t get hurt. I was waitin’ for her signal. This was her show, and I wasn’t going to take over. It was a great deal of love that I was showin’ her lettin’ her know that she was in charge after all. It had been her plan.

__

When the signal was given, I took off in the back door. My feet weren’t nearly as silent as my loves, on purpose. I could sense the three of us in the house. The human heartbeat was different than that of mine or my love, and I followed it. I could hear the man on the com, and it bothered me. Apparently, his own daughter wasn’t the only one he’d done this shit too. This _thing,_ because callin’ it a man was an insult to men, was actually tryin’ to get more people to do the same as he had.

__

I could hear his voice as he explained the virtues of sellin’ off their daughters to the whorehouse that was Taurus 4 under the guise that it was a school for problem children. He’d made a killin’ apparently and spent much of that money elsewhere because he was sure as hell hadn’t cleaned up the house. The further into this crap hole I went, the more I could smell the ‘reality’ of what was goin’ on. He’d turned his own house into a sort of brothel. Apparently, it was his way of testin’ the children before they were sent away. He needed to know which ones just required a little extra incentive to do as they were told.

__

I could feel the anger buildin’ up inside of me, and I would act on it. Autumn’s emotions were jumbled up through our bond, which told me she’d found somethin’ she didn’t like either. My feet grew quieter as I approached the office. Slidin’ the door open, the man didn’t even know I was there till my shiv was pressed to his neck, and my voice broke through the silence in the air. Snatchin’ the remote to the com, I clicked it off knowin’ that it was only a voice com and not a visual one.

__

“I don’t think you wanna be doin’ that.”

__

There was a tone in my voice that spoke volumes about him bein’ hurt for smoethin’. He seemed to be too stupid to understand that, though. I could feel his body tense in my arms, and it just made me smirk harder. I was goin’ to let him go only so he could try to justify himself. I couldn’t kill him. Leavin’ a dead body would only brin’ questions we didn’t have the time to answer. So I moved my shiv and watched as he turned around.

__

It never failed to amuse me the amount of fear that people showed. Only the truly stupid, or the lucky few like Autumn, didn’t fear me. I knew why she didn’t, and it was because of our Furyan natures. This man, though, he was foolish. He thought he was goin’ to be able to escape this without me havin’ any fun. There was the problem.

__

“What the hell are you on about? Are you an unhappy customer? You know you’re not even supposed to know who the hell I am.”

__

“Shut up. I’m here because of your daughter. You know the one you sold into a life that wasn’t hers, to begin with, so that you could make a few thousand credits.”

__

I watched as the shock started to climb through his eyes. If I knew Jack then obviously somethin’ had happened. It never did register in his brain because I started to get a little shiv happy. The cuts were shallow, and they’d heal; in a day or two at least. I wasn’t goin’ to make it easy on him. The more he blathered on, the less I really cared. I could hear Autumn comin’ down the stairs. I needed to speed thin’s along.

__

Lettiin’ my shiv do the talkin’ more I cut the man almost one hundred times. I could hear him tryin’ to mutter somethin’, but I didn’t wanna listen to it. So I grabbed his throat and crushed his ability to speak. He wouldn’t be able to call for help for a good long while. I also knew that he wouldn’t be stupid enough to actually inform the police of what happened to him because he’d have to explain why he was attacked, to begin with.

__

“Don’t stop the fun on my account. We gotta go, love, the sun will rise in a few hours.”

__

I turned to the sound of the voice and smiled at her openly. She was usin’ the code we had for alertin’ me that the cops might be on our trail. I gave one final deep cut to the man, one that I knew he’d remember for a good long while. I was angry at him, but right now I just wanted to get my mate back on the ship and get us up in atmo before everythin’ came crashin’ down.

__

“Let this be a lesson to you. Children are our greatest gift, and you squandered yours away. If you even so much as try to find us or contact her, you will wish that I’d not shown you any mercy here, do you understand?”

__

At his nod, we left. I barely watched as he crumbled to the ground. We were off and back to the ship faster than most people would realize. I was still wary, though. My mate was upset, but I wasn’t goin’ to push. She would tell me in her own time, or I’d find a way to get it out of her without hurtin’ her more. I knew this much. She also knew that she couldn’t hide it from me. Not since we’d actually mated and joined. We were each other’s half and when one of us was hurt the other would always sense it.

__

Climbin’ aboard the ship, I took off for the cockpit and got us up and out of there faster than most people would realize. It would take several more days for us to reach our next destination, but we had the time. I wasn’t in a huge rush to get anywhere specific, and the world could just learn to wait for us. Shazza greeted me as I left the cockpit and headed out to find my mate. She’d been the one to comfort and calm Jackie girl while we’d gone off and had a bit of a party.

__

Enterin’ the lounge I instantly spotted the form of my erstwhile mate and sighed. She was lost in thought again. Wrappin’ my arms around her, I simply held her close. She was going to tell me what was botherin’ her eventually, but for now, I was happy to just give her the comfort she needed. The real fun was yet to come. We were goin’ to rain hell down on Taurus 4, and then I knew that she’d be able to relax. If we tore that planet apart, no one would stop us. Not that we’d actually get caught. That was the thin’ that no one understood. I only got caught when I wanted to. Generally, because I had some ulterior motive for endin’ up in the slam. I sure as hell wasn’t goin’ to let my mate go back.

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End file.
